Cautious Devils
United learning transfer lessons from Sanchez mistake in Sancho pursuit
THE received wisdom two-and-a-half years ago – inside Old Trafford, not just outside – was that if Alexis Sanchez is available, you sign him. It was not entirely wrong, either. It is easy to forget now, as talks over an expected sale to Internazionale progress, but Sanchez arrived in Manchester as one of the most devastating attacking players in European football, having broken the 20-goal barrier in three of his last four seasons, hitting 30 for Arsenal in the previous campaign alone.
That a player of his calibre and Premier League pedigree would essentially be available for free was viewed as a rare, exceptional opportunity by many at Manchester United. One too good to turn down. One too good to miss.
Manchester City could be accused of sour grapes at the time, given they suddenly had significant doubts about a player they had come close to signing only five months earlier, but those doubts proved valid.
One of the biggest was Sanchez’s desired salary, reported to be around £391,346 (RM2.1m) a week during the 2018-19 season.
His salary – inflated by the absence of a transfer fee – was not the only problem. Sanchez cost
United both money and their bargaining position, weakening the club’s hand in negotiations with other key players.
Paul Pogba’s nose was put out of joint and he is still yet to renew terms, despite finally being content enough to stay at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future.
David de Gea is now earning a salary comparable to Sanchez’s, and has another three years left to run on his contract, with his performances and status as United’s first-choice under scrutiny.
It is no secret that Sanchez struggled to adapt to life in Manchester and left for Inter last summer after five goals in 45 appearances.
And as negotiations with the Serie A club over a permanent move for Sanchez advance, the mistakes they made then are informing talks with Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was relaxed about United’s transfer business on Tuesday ahead of their return to Europa League action against LASK Linz, insisting that the window is long and there was no need to secure targets early, amid reports that United were close to agreeing a structured and incentivised deal which met Dortmund’s £108 million (RM583m) asking price.
Senior United sources distanced themselves from those suggestions on Tuesday night, claiming there was some distance left to travel before the two clubs agree on a fee.
And though Sancho would likely take Sanchez’s No. 7 shirt, the chances of him taking up the same proportion of the wage bill are remote.
United are determined to show greater discipline and will not so blatantly break the wage structure already in place.
Then there is Sancho’s contrasting profile. He is a player for today and tomorrow, rather than just today.
You could say pursuing a talent like Sancho is a “no-brainer” but there are no guarantees in football and United are pursuing their No. 1 summer target with a deal of caution.
Perhaps, finally, they are both moving on from their greatest transfer mistakes of the past and learning from them too. – The Independent