What will Jadon Sancho bring to Manchester United?

| 30 June 2021

What will Jadon Sancho bring to Manchester United?

The 21-year-old has been a long-time transfer target

England winger Jadon Sancho looks to have moved a step closer to joining Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund with a fee of 85million euros (£72.9m) understood to have been agreed.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what qualities the 21-year-old will bring to Old Trafford.

Ambition

#1 🆚 #100 pic.twitter.com/xSEWLx1Mlb

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) April 22, 2021

Sancho could easily have been content to patiently wait for his first-team chance at Manchester City. Instead, at the tender age of 17, the former Watford and City youngster ambitiously opted to move abroad and prove himself. That drive has turned him into a Bundesliga star, England international and one of the most in-demand talents in world football.

Versatility

Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho in action against Tottenham — Jadon Sancho (centre) has been successfully deployed in different positions for Dortmund (John Walton/PA)

Should the deal be completed, Sancho would supplement United's attacking talents of Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood, ahead of Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes. Sancho's adaptability will offer United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer further flexibility in attacking areas, having shown his ability to perform numerous roles in the final third for Dortmund, where he has also played as a wing-back.

Creativity

T̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶r̶s̶t̶ ̶E̶n̶g̶l̶i̶s̶h̶m̶a̶n̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶c̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶D̶F̶B̶-̶P̶o̶k̶a̶l̶ ̶f̶i̶n̶a̶l̶

The first Englishman to score 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲 in the #DFBPokal final 😏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿#Berlin2021 #RBLBVB 0-3 pic.twitter.com/FDlNWX6QoR

— The DFB-Pokal (@DFBPokal_EN) May 13, 2021

Blessed with quick feet, supreme balance and searing pace, Sancho unsettles defences and is a relentless attacking threat. Since the start of the 2018/19 campaign, Sancho has a combined goals and assists record of 78, which puts him into the top 10 across Europe's leading divisions.

The promise of youth

🎂2⃣1⃣🎂

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Happy birthday, Jadon Sancho! 🎈#HBD | @England | @Sanchooo10 pic.twitter.com/ne05pAp565

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) March 25, 2021

United already have plenty of potential in their ranks – it is sometimes easy to forget Rashford is himself only 23 and Greenwood still 19. Having turned 21 in March, time is very much on his side for Sancho to be a star performer at Old Trafford over the next decade.

A cool head

Words can't describe this feeling! 🏆 @DFB_Pokal WINNERS! This is for you guys @BVB pic.twitter.com/j8ujmcMQpm

— Jadon Sancho (@Sanchooo10) May 14, 2021

Sancho's ability is also backed up by end product, finishing the last Bundesliga campaign with eight goals and 11 assists. Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller is a big fan. "There are other dribblers with similar qualities in the Bundesliga," the German frontman told Sports Buzzer. "But they don't have this outstanding decision-making."