'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Manchester United recently announced the big-money signing of Jadon Sancho. The Red Devils were severely understocked in players naturally suited to the right flank, and the acquisition of a world-class talent in Sancho could prove to be the last piece of the puzzle in United’s attacking third.
The former Manchester City academy player has showcased tremendous promise and put in consistent performances in his four-year spell at Borussia Dortmund. Jadon Sancho registered an involvement in 114 goals (50 goals, 64 assists) from 137 appearances for the German outfit.
There is a huge burden of expectations on Jadon Sancho's young shoulders to hit the ground running at Old Trafford, but things don’t always pan out as expected.
Today, we take a look at the five reasons why Jadon Sancho could struggle at Manchester United.
#5 Price-tag pressure
Manchester United have reportedly splurged a whopping €85 million to bring the Borussia Dortmund forward back to English shores.
Jadon Sancho’s former employers, Manchester City, will receive approximately £10 million owing to a sell-on clause negotiated as part of the £8m move to Dortmund in 2017. The move finally concluded a long-drawn transfer saga as Jadon Sancho has been repeatedly linked with the Red Devils over the past couple of years.
This serves as a statement of the club’s intent to sign the 21-year-old and at the same time puts the forward under pressure to perform from the get go.
The young Englishman took the bold step of leaving England for more first-team opportunities in Germany. English players have historically been reluctant to plying their trade elsewhere on the continent, but Sancho’s decision to leave the country at the age of 17 speaks volumes of his mental prowess.
Price-tag pressure can always be a massive factor at big clubs like we’ve seen with Eden Hazard at Real Madrid recently. However, Sancho should be adequately equipped to deal with this pressure.
#4 Lack of a full pre-season
Due to his involvement with England’s senior squad until the 11th of July, Sancho has been unable to take part in the entirety of Manchester United’s pre-season training and fixtures.
The youngster is set to miss all of United’s pre-season fixtures leading up to their season opener against arch-rivals Leeds United on 14th August. In a press conference leading up to Manchester United’s pre-season friendly against Queens Park Rangers, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed that Copa America and Euro 2020 finalists Jadon Sancho and Fred will be back in “about 10 days time”.
This suggests that Sancho’s first training session at Carrington will not take place before the first week of August. A midweek return could allow the forward some valuable time on the pitch in Manchester United’s final pre-season fixture against Everton on 7th August.
Even the best players in world football require some time to get used to new conditions and new teammates, and Sancho is no different.
#3 Manchester United’s track record with recent big-money signings
Jadon Sancho became the third-most-expensive signing in Manchester United’s history, with all the top ten expensive transfers belonging to the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Following Sir Alex Ferguson’s trophy-laden 27-year spell at Old Trafford, Manchester United have struggled on and off the pitch. Their off-field struggles have been most apparent in the transfer market, where exorbitant amounts of cash have been splurged on what turned out to be bad investments. The Louis Van Gaal era is the foremost example of such exorbitant spendings, as the Red Devils signed Angel Di Maria for €74.6 million and Radamel Falcao on a reported £16m season-long loan deal.
One of Manchester United’s most recent mishaps in the transfer market was the swap deal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan that brought Alexis Sanchez to Old Trafford. The Chilean became one of the highest earners in United’s locker room, with a wage bill upwards of £350,000-per-week.
One might also argue that United have not managed to recoup the €105 million transfer fee spent on Paul Pogba in the summer of 2016, with the Frenchman’s contract set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 season.
#2 Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s role in the attacking third
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has established himself as one of the best defensive fullbacks in world football currently, but leaves a lot to be desired in the opposition half.
Modern football has redefined the role of a fullback, as they are expected to contribute equally in defense and attack. While Aaron Wan-Bissaka has displayed immense defensive prowess in his role at right-back, he is not known for putting in penetrating crosses or passes in the attacking third.
This may prove to be a cause for concern, as Jadon Sancho could feel the absence of a potent attacking support on the right flank. As discussed before, Jadon Sancho would need some time to establish an understanding with his teammates, and it is imperative for Aaron Wan-Bissaka to ease the process by providing support on the right wing.
#1 Will need time to reacclimatize to English football
As we’ve witnessed time and time again, footballers coming to the Premier League after a long stint elsewhere take some time to settle.
The likes of Angel Di Maria and Henrikh Mkhitaryan never managed to adapt to life at Old Trafford, despite their world-class performances in the Spanish and German leagues, respectively. Mkhitaryan was regarded as one of the best playmakers in the continent during his time at Borussia Dortmund, but he failed to recreate those performances in the Premier League.
Radamel Falcao arrived at Old Trafford as one of the most feared strikers in world football but failed to make any sort of impact. He was released upon completion of the first year of his loan deal, and the Colombian’s subsequent spell at Chelsea wasn’t memorable either. Falcao managed to score a solitary goal in 12 appearances for the Blues, but he looked right at home in his first season back at Monaco.
After a torrid spell in the Premier League, Falcao registered 30 goals and 6 assists in 43 appearances for AS Monaco in the 2016-17 campaign. The Premier League is clearly not everyone’s cup of tea, and Jadon Sancho is yet to prove himself in the English domestic league.
Unlike those mentioned above, Sancho is an English native, hailing from Camberwell in London. Having grown up in Englamd, the 21-year old may not require as much time to acclimatize to English conditions. However, the physical demands of the Premier League and a difference in playing style from the Bundesliga will surely need some getting used to.
