1. Jadon Sancho, Borussia Dortmund
There are big reasons why all the big Premier League clubs all want to bring this extremely talented 19-year-old Englishman back home. The brass at his club in Dortmund certainly knows his value and the teams lining up to spend the north of $100 million transfer asking price this summer.
Did I mention that he is 19-years-old?
In the Bundesliga, Sancho is one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league. He has racked up 14 goals and also 15 assists. This makes him the only player in the German top flight to be in double digits in both goals and assists. Jadon is at the top of the league in assists and third in goals scored.
Oh yeah, and he’s 19. In the United States, he couldn’t go to a random Atlanta Irish bar and order a drink. Sure, he might order it, but they won’t serve him.
I am digressing like my grandmother telling me stories of life in Mississippi in 1927.
Sancho is involved in all aspects of die BVB offensive strategy as he can play as a forward, striker or attacking mid-fielder as needed. He has shown at a very early age the ability to move seamlessly into his assigned role. This is something that I would expect someone in the prime of his career to be able to do, not at the beginning.
Here’s the part where I’m overflowing my son’s cereal bowl and my cat is waiting for the milk to drip.
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Jadon’s npxG+xA/90, xChain90, and xBuildup90 are 0.83, 1.14, and 0.46 respectively. These are solid numbers, but not what I would expect given his production numbers. Notably, his xBuildup90 number is high for a mid-fielder/forward which illustrates that he is highly involved in the start-up of the Dortmund’s attack.
The 19-year old (I can’t emphasize this enough) has an expected assists (xA) number of 8.48. The xA number is the accumulated expected goals of all their key passes. Key passes are passes leading to shots. This number is third in the German top flight.
However, his assist conversion rate is -6.52, which is the best in the Bundesliga and no one is even close. This means that Sancho is the best in the league at feeding the ball to his teammates giving them the best opportunity to score.
Sancho’s goal conversion rate is -5.78, which is best in the Bundesliga and again – it’s not even close. It is also the best of players remaining in the Champions League.
What Jadon Sancho is doing over in Germany is incredible. I don't remember being this exciting for an up and coming england player in years. Incredible work ethic and unbelievable ability. Massive respect! @Sanchooo10
— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) February 29, 2020
Jadon will turn twenty on March 25th. He should be given the player of the year award in his home league. There should not be a debate about this. There are four Premier League clubs rumored to be linked to him in a mega transfer deal this summer: Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
Can anyone blame them for possibly shelling out north of $100 million for him? I do not. If I were on the board of any top-flight club, I would make Jadon Sancho my highest priority.