(Football news) After an endless stream of negotiations, transfer speculation that had become tiresome to say the least, Jadon Sancho was finally announced as a Manchester United player for £73m from Borussia Dortmund, amidst exasperation and relief amongst the fans. The 21 year old is undoubtedly one of Europe’s hottest prospects and it was widely considered a ‘steal’ to pry Sancho away from Dortmund’s clutches for such a bargain price. However, the England international has not had the best of starts in life at the Premier League and we’re here to explore why.
Despite Sancho having played for Manchester City before his move to Borussia Dortmund, the winger did not play in the Premier League. Unlike the Bundesliga where Sancho has developed into one of the best wingers in the world, England’s top flight is a whole different ball game where the game is faster, more physical and more competitive than Germany. One of Sancho’s biggest challenges is a straightforward one, he will have to adapt to the Premier League and hasn’t been given the time to. With a price tag of £73m, many fans and media alike expect instant results, which may not be practically possible. Sancho is a prospect, albeit a very bright one but needs time to develop and adapt his game to suit the challenges of the Premier League. This process requires time and it has only been a few months since the winger has been plying his trade in England.
Secondly, Jadon Sancho is an effective right winger but has been played out of position by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The England international has been switched to the left flank, presumably because his teamwork with Luke Shaw is better than with Aaron Wan Bissaka, but it's fair to say that the left side of midfield is not his natural position which has invariably led to inconsistent performances. Moreover, with the intense competition for places in the starting XI, Sancho has either been coming off the bench or been substituted at the hour mark and needs a consistent run of games to adapt to the Premier League.
For a player like Sancho who is highly technical, creative, relies on trickery to get past opponents with speed and excels at one-on-one situations, making him feel ‘settled’ will be key to getting the best out of him. The presence of Ronaldo in the squad will undoubtedly aid Sancho’s development, as the Portuguese also started his Manchester United career as a player with a similar profile and ended his first stint in England as arguably the best player in the world. Jadon Sancho has the talent to succeed at Manchester United and it’s too early to call the 21 year old a ‘flop’ simply because he hasn’t lit the fireworks with performances so far. Given his age, talent and work ethic, it’s only a matter of time before Manchester United fans see the best of Sancho but patience will be key until then.
