Manchester United and Jadon Sancho have been relentlessly linked with one another for the last 12-months.
United have been lacking a right sided winger, arguably, since the days of Portuguese fan favourite, Nani and Sancho seems to fit the bill.
The young English attacker has risen to football prominence during his 2019/20 stand-out campaign with German side, Borussia Dortmund. Sancho’s season has been a campaign which has seen him become involved in more goals than any another player in Europe, scoring 14 himself and setting-up another 16, his latest, an assist from the bench last weekend against Wolfsburg.
Sancho made the pioneering switch from rival’s Manchester City’s youth academy back in 2017 in order to seek out first team football; something he was not guaranteed at The Citizens with the likes of Leroy Sane and fellow Englishman, Raheem Sterling, sitting well ahead of him.
The current financial climate of football due to the ongoing disruption the COVID-19 pandemic is causing is adding additional elements to any projected transfers between clubs. Sancho is currently valued at around £80mil by current club, Dortmund and United will be keen to drive that valuation down as far as possible.
One alternative option The Reds could explore would be to use right-back Diogo Dalot as part of a future deal to help prize the young 20-year old winger from the infamous Black and Yellows.
According to recent reports from ESPN, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to keep hold of Dalot despite some big name interest. The likes of PSG and Barcelona are rumoured to be interested in the young attacking full back. Dalot is currently playing second fiddle to the in-form Aaron Wan-Bissaka and European giants could be circling with a view to take full advantage of Dalot’s lack of playing time at United.
Dortmund also find themselves with problems at right-back, their current first choice right back, Achraf Hakimi, 21, is on-loan from Spanish outfit, Real Madrid.
Hakimi, like Sancho, has endured a very impressive season in Dortmund. The explosive attacking wing back has contributed greatly to his side’s title challenge, scoring four goals and providing a further 10.
However, like all loan moves, all good things must come to an end.
Hakimi is a product of Madrid’s under 19 youth team and was sent abroad at the beginning of this season to further his top flight development.
Once the Moroccan’s time in Germany comes to an end at the conclusion of the Bundesliga, naturally, Dortmund will be left with a void they’ll be keen to fill should they continue to remain as competitive as this season has seen them be.
The avenue of United offering the services of Dalot in exchange for Sancho could be one we see The Reds explore. A fee plus right back Dalot could be the perfect deal, for all parties involved.
Dalot would undoubtedly get the first team football his young age requires at Dortmund, whereas, Sancho would be allowed to take the next step up in his ever impressive career should he be allowed to come the other way. Should those elements come together seamlessly, United would be able to cushion the initial projected transfer fee.
It is unclear at this stage when the Premier League will resume, although, a date to recommence is thought to be late next month. Coinciding with the transfer market opening, the resumption of England’s top flight will add further commercial stability to United and we could see discussions for Sancho, currently Europe’s hottest property ramp up.
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