As one of the most prolonged transfer sagas in recent years, even the most ardent
Manchester United fans were probably getting tired of hearing about Jadon Sancho,
especially with the club having waited so long to eventually get their man. Now the deal
is finally done, the Red Devils have acquired a genuinely world class player, one who
could make all the difference in their pursuit of silverware.
What does Jadon Sancho bring to Manchester United?
Insofar as performances with Borussia Dortmund last season are concerned, the
numbers produced by Sancho were second only to Erling Haaland, according to
whoscored.com match ratings. The young Englishman registered a strong 7.54
average match rating from 26 games in the Bundesliga, whilst also being a highly
valuable attacking contributor. During the 2020-2021 campaign, Sancho scored 16
goals and provided 28 assists in all competitions.
Following such an impressive individual campaign with the German outfit, Manchester
United fans have every reason to be excited about Sancho making the switch to Old
Trafford. Likewise, despite having only celebrated his 21st birthday in March of this
year, this is a player who is already well established at the highest level of the game,
having demonstrated great maturity and gained valuable experience over the last few
seasons.
After making his senior debut with Borussia Dortmund in October 2017, Sancho went
on to register statistics that place him firmly amongst the best players in world football.
He leaves Dortmund having made a total of 137 appearances, registering an excellent
overall tally of 50 goals and 64 assists. Sancho has also demonstrated superb tactical
and positional flexibility, capable of operating on both sides of the pitch or through the
middle.
Making the move to Germany was an astute decision by Sancho, having relished in a
different footballing environment and made the most of his opportunities. Had he
remained with Manchester City in England, the progress of Sancho as a player would
likely have been stunted, whereas in Dortmund, he was afforded the chance to develop
and thrive. Beyond a youthful player with bags of potential, United are getting a gem
which is already highly polished.
High hopes and great expectations
Any big transfer deal is always going to be accompanied by intense pressure, both for
the player and his new club. Nevertheless, this is a move which Sancho appears to be
taking quite comfortably in his stride, matched by the utmost confidence from the
United hierarchy, which encouraged the club to go that extra mile to make the transfer
happen this summer.
Eurosport recently quoted Erling Haaland as being “sad” about the departure of
Sancho from Dortmund, given the deadly duo forged a magnificent and highly effective
partnership on the pitch. The towering Norwegian will certainly miss the assists
provided by his former colleague, who always appeared capable of discovering ways
through even toughest Bundesliga defences. Clearly a vital player for his team, Sancho
will be sorely missed.
Meanwhile, the new United player will be welcomed with open arms by Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer, inevitably delighted at having such a talented addition joining his squad.
While few can question the capability and levels of performance Sancho has already
displayed, some will wonder how he deals with intense pressure. Having missed one of
the penalties which consigned England to a Euro 2020 final defeat against Italy, he will
be under the spotlight.
Alongside his new teammate and friend Marcus Rashford, it almost seems inevitable
rival fans will target Sancho for abuse for that England penalty miss. Hopefully, none of
that will affect either his confidence or self-belief. In addition, while he will undoubtedly
enjoy great support from United fans, at the same time, they will expect him to deliver
top quality performances every game. Providing he can cope with all that, Sancho
should shine through.
Sancho raising the stakes at United
Having finally secured the capture of Sancho, the 21-year-old gives Manchester United
a significant boost in attacking quality. Such an important addition could also see
oddsmakers view their Premier League chances more favourably. But before throwing
money at any online bookmakers, take time to read some reviews for the best football
betting sites. Find out about special features, the range of markets and bonus offers
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Just as many of us will be looking for good value bets in the season to come, United
will be hoping their outlay for Sancho is money well spent. With another couple of
quality signings, don’t be surprised to see their Premier League title odds become
considerably shorter.
