What Jadon Sancho will bring to Manchester United

After weeks of speculations, Manchester United have finally signed England winger, Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, the Premier League club announced Friday.

British media reports say Sancho had moved from Germany in a deal worth £73 million ($100 million) which would make him the second-most expensive English player of all time behind United team-mate Harry Maguire.

“I’ll always be grateful to Dortmund for giving me the opportunity to play first team football, although I always knew that I would return to England one day,” Sancho told manutd.com.

“The chance to join Manchester United is a dream come true and I just cannot wait to perform in the Premier League,” the 21-year-old Sancho added.

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“This is a young and exciting squad and I know, together, we can develop into something special to bring the success that the fans deserve.”

His move to Old Trafford follows a year-long pursuit by United, who were reportedly put off at first by Dortmund’s £100m valuation of Sancho, a former Manchester City youth team player.

United finished second, 12 points behind rivals Manchester City, in last season’s Premier League. However, the Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects his side to benefit from Sancho’s “untapped” talent as Sancho scored 50 goals and recorded 57 assists in his 137 appearances for Dortmund.

“Jadon epitomises the type of player I want to bring to the club, he is a forward player in the best traditions of Manchester United,” said Solskjaer.

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“He will form an integral part of my squad for years to come and we look forward to seeing him blossom,” the United manager added.

“His goals and assists records speak for themselves and he will also bring tremendous pace, flair and creativity to the team.

“Old Trafford will give him the platform he needs to release his untapped talent and perform at the highest level.

“For a player of his age, Sancho has already achieved a great deal and showed the courage to go and prove himself abroad.”

Here, we take a look at what qualities the 21-year-old will bring to Old Trafford.

Creativity

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 in the top 10 across Europe’s leading divisions.

Ambition

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

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.

Youthfulness

Man 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 the side of Sancho to be a star performer at Old Trafford over the next decade.