Manchester United to Target Sancho for Blockbuster January Move

Badly in need of some homegrown superstars to grace Old Trafford once more, Manchester United have reportedly earmarked Dortmund’s Jordan Sancho as a key January window acquisition.

The revelation is understandable given the desperate lack of attacking firepower in the red half of Manchester following Romelu Lukaku’s move to Inter. Whilst not a prolific frontman himself, Sancho is a gifted, creative winger who could help unlock Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial’s significant goalscoring potential with key passes and assists. It remains to be seen – can, and will this move happen?

Return to Manchester Could Appeal to Silky Sancho

By now its well known that United’s cross-town rivals City made a horrible mistake letting the prodigiously gifted Sancho go to Dortmund on the cheap. This would make it all the more appealing for United fans to see the 19 year old Englishman in their red and black. Far more tantalizing though, is what the English international would bring on the pitch. He is a silky operator on the ball, with excellent composure and an eye for an assist- qualities this United attack badly require. A trio of Martial, Rashford and Sancho could send shudders down opposition defenders’ spines, and might well dominate the Premier League for years to come should they click.

For Sancho, a return to Manchester might well be appealing, particularly to join his former club’s most bitter rivals. Where better to prove your Premier League-worthy talent, which your previous employers felt was not worth paying that much for? Beyond that, whilst he has dominated the Bundesliga for the last year and a half, the glitz and glamour of the PL as the world’s toughest league might be too hard to ignore.

Will Dortmund Sell?

The obvious hurdle still facing both parties in a potential move is Sancho’s current employers, Borussia Dortmund. Whilst one of German football’s powerhouses, recent history suggests that Dortmund can not and will not prevent a move- although surely for far more than the 100 million pounds suggested by talkSport. January moves are notoriously overpriced and, as a young, starting-XI-worthy, homegrown British talent, Sancho is worth his weight in gold for Dortmund. So expect a valuation upwards of 150 million pounds if any move is to materialise.

Ultimately, as a team not guaranteed to end Bayern’s stranglehold on the Bundesliga nor deliver European success, Dortmund are not in a position to bargain should Sancho want to leave. Whilst it would be a significant blow to their hopes of finally winning the league again, they would gladly accept the fistfuls of cash United would offer them for their prized asset.

Verdict

It is certainly too early to predict any move just yet- January is four months away after all and the summer window just finished. However, should it materialise, the move could be a stroke of genius on the part of United. Sancho would complete a fearsome attack and, for the first time since the class of ’92, could sprinkle some homegrown stardust onto Old Trafford’s hallowed turf once more.