HE CAN CUT IT
Easy to see why £100m Sancho is a wanted man
AT THE going rate of around £100million, Jadon Sancho’s no snip.
But even on the days when it doesn’t quite click into place for the Borussia Dortmund star, it’s easy to see why he’s a wanted man.
Sancho’s sharp trim might have been football’s most expensive haircut.
But against Hertha Berlin he showed again exactly why his talent is in demand from Manchester to Madrid and plenty of destinations in between.
The Borussia Dortmund star paid a heavy price for breaking Covid-19 rules and having his barnet styled without using face mask protection.
Fined
German league bosses fined the England winger £8,900 after his rulebreaking cut by celebrity barber Winnie Nana Karkari – but Sancho didn’t let the disciplinary rap mess with his head.
After scoring a hat-trick in Dortmund’s 6-1 rout at Paderborn a week earlier, he was looking for more goals.
They proved elusive this time, but Sancho’s ability to unlock defences saw him make another decisive contribution.
With Dortmund struggling to breach Hertha’s Berlin wall, the winger stepped up and had a hand in the 57th-minute breakthrough goal for former Liverpool star Emre Can. Sancho cleverly clipped the ball into midfielder Julian Brandt who in turn headed the ball into Can’s path for the ex-kop star to stroke home.
It was greeted with atmospheregenerating piped crowd cheers – a must for the Premier League.
And with that door-opening flash of creativity pulses would have quickened at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and
Anfield with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Frank Lampard and Jurgen Klopp all keen to land Sancho.
His admirers at Real Madrid might have something to say about that.
But the La Liga giants could be out of the running if they make headway trying to land top target Kylian Mbappe from PSG. It’s unclear where Sancho sees his future – but after branding his haircut fine an “absolute joke” it seems the 20-year-old’s love affair with the Bundesliga is coming to an end after three seasons.
As talents go, Sancho is at the top of the tree. His development has accelerated impressively this campaign with 20 goals in 39 German games comfortably outstripping 13 in 43 last season.
That shows he is a diligent learner and progressing on a rapid upward trajectory
Sancho’s 11 England performances have also hinted at a massive future. While his backing for #Blacklivesmatter – wearing a t-shirt bearing the slogan before his last two games – shows his political passion. And even in the post-coronavirus football world, the clamour for the London-born star has only intensified.
Stardust
Sancho’s sparkling hat-trick against Paderborn had Hertha’s defenders on high alert. And for most of the game Sancho and his side found themselves in lockdown against opponents inspired by new boss Bruno Labbadia.
It was a defiant display at the Signal Iduna Park that held up Lucien Favre’s freescoring stars.
Sancho, however, could have opened the scoring after 51 minutes but missed a sitter, dragging his shot wide after a pullback by Thorgan Hazard.
And he spurned the chance of making it 2-0 in the last minute with Hertha keeper Rune Jarstein denying him.
But Can’s goal saw Dortmund scrape victory, leaving them secure in second, seven points behind Bayern Munich.
The only downside for the champions-elect was a yellow card for Lewandowski, and he will be suspended for their next league game against Borussia Monchengladbach.
RB LEIPZIG’S challenge had already faded before their 1-1 draw with bottom side PADERBORN.
Chelsea-bound Timo Werner set up Patrik Schick but Dayot Upamecano’s dismissal before the break gave Paderborn hope.
And Christian Strohdiek pounced on a loose ball for an injury-time leveller.
MAINZ eased their relegation fears with a 2-0 win at EINTRACHT FRANKFURT thanks to Moussa Niakhate and Pierre Kunde.
That was a blow to fellow strugglers DUSSELDORF after they could only draw 2-2 with HOFFENHEIM.