It’s not about the £108m fee... if Jadon wants to get on his bike and join United, it will happen
JADON SANCHO is a superstar in waiting. His goals and assists are remarkable for a 20-year-old and his decision to leave Manchester City for a different challenge abroad three years ago says a lot about his belief and mentality. His future is attracting plenty of attention right now, centred on whether Manchester United would pay Borussia Dortmund a British transfer record of £108million for him.
It’s an obvious question but having been around football virtually my whole life, I don’t think the fee is the only factor in play here.
I believe the role of Sancho himself in determining his future is equally important. We don’t know yet how badly he wants to move to Old Trafford, if at all, but what happens next will give us a clue.
United wouldn’t ideally pay such a huge sum for one player but Sancho is about as risk-free as you can get. He’d improve Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team as an attacking force and appeal commercially because his type of skilful player is a magnet for supporters who want to buy the coolest shirt.
It’s unlikely United would have embarked on the chase without some kind of encouragement but in my experience deals of this size only happen if the player really wants to go.
United are an attractive proposition, one of the biggest clubs in the world with a young and exciting team, but Sancho won’t be short of suitors in his career and he’ll be aware that in a year’s time, when football finances are a bit steadier, he may have a choice that also includes Liverpool, his ‘local’ team Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid. It’s possible he may prefer to wait and weigh up his options after the Euros next summer rather than rocking the boat now by telling Dortmund he wants to leave.
If that’s the case and United are fighting against an inflated fee and a player considering other options, they have a problem.
And that’s without factoring in the agent fees that usually accompany a deal like this.
Sancho is young and publicly respectful but his career to date indicates a player who knows his own mind and will have a say in his future.
If his heart really is set on joining United, there are ways of letting all relevant parties aware.
Whatever is beneficial for your career, you are going to try to make it happen. And if United know that, I’d pay Dortmund the asking price even if I admire the principle of not being dictated to. Sancho’s value isn’t going to diminish. However, judging by what I’ve seen so far there is no rebellion from Sancho, which makes me sense he’s not desperate to move to United.
He already has 30 goals for Dortmund and won 11 England caps, and doesn’t turn 21 until next March. His talent and ability aren’t going anywhere.
The other side of the coin is what United should do if Sancho doesn’t happen. Liverpool played the long game with Virgil van Dijk. They couldn’t get their man in one window, so they waited until the next, paying a world-record fee for a defender.
However, I think it’s a slightly different situation facing United and Sancho. It’s a fact of life there are more options out there for clubs wanting top wingers and forwards compared to centre-halves. Liverpool rightly worked out they couldn’t get another Van Dijk so waited for him, confident the player wanted to join them despite interest from Manchester City.
United can’t afford to wait for Sancho and then see him join a rival. And they need to build now on the success they’ve had since January. Finding a world-class player on the right of a 4-3-3 is a priority and there will be other options besides Sancho, particularly in this buyer’s market.
I personally hope we see Sancho back in English football at some point because he’s a special talent. He is good enough to replace Mo Salah or Sadio Mane if and when they leave Liverpool.
Van Dijk showed that the destiny of top players ultimately lies in their own hands. The key to Sancho’s future is where he wants to go, not the size or instalments of the transfer.