Manchester United will try to make a real statement of intent by adding Jadon Sancho to their front in the summer transfer window.
A year after his failed move from Borussia Dortmund, progress is being made on his long-awaited return to Manchester, with the ball firmly in United’s pitch to improve on offer from last week’s declined offer.
With the England international currently occupied by the ongoing European Championship, there is no rush to close a deal and in fact it could do Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a small favor by continuing to think about his plans for the next season.
The United manager has already admitted that he has a vague idea of what his first-team squad should look like for the new campaign, but a lot could still change.
With such a statement, it’s easy to fixate on the players who might be drawn to Old Trafford, just as important are those who leave.
Sancho’s planned arrival will certainly bolster Solskjaer’s starting line-up and overall squad strength for the coming season, although there has to be a good balance to keep everyone happy while adding a proven top talent.
Continue reading
On the subject of matching items
Continue reading
On the subject of matching items
On the one hand, United know they need irresistible squad depth if they want to face Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool next season, let alone beat them, but on the other hand there is a sense of acceptance that some players, who already play sporadic roles will only continue to dwindle.
If you look at United’s offensive line on paper it certainly points to a welcome selection problem for Solskjaer, although keeping them all happy and ready when they are challenged is a big job.
Even before Sancho joined this summer, United already have Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Daniel James and Amad who only fill three roles, while Paul Pogba should also be considered a contender given his good endings on the left of the season form .
Consider the fact that up-and-coming young talents Anthony Elanga, Shola Shoretire and Hannibal Mejbri all have first-team aspirations and it could well be three starting roles for a group of 11 players.
Which current United striker would you like to leave this summer? Let us know in the comments below.
Without the academy star trio, United would effectively still have three different strikers to fall back on should Sancho sign this summer and it’s almost impossible to keep them all happy even with a busy schedule.
After such a grueling year of football in which footballers have been pushed to the impossible, it seems wrong to have potentially too many players in a squad, although this is a harsh consequence that cannot be ignored.
Sancho’s anticipated arrival could make many United dreams come true but inevitably end someone else’s as well.
Perhaps the only remaining mystery is who it could be.
