[ad_1]
Jadon Sancho has finally been confirmed as a Manchester United player.
The England winger has secured a £73million move to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund, with the 21-year-old declaring ‘I am home’.
Getty
It is the transfer story that just wouldn’t go away for 12 months and United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will no doubt be delighted to finally land his top target.
The impressive forward returns to Manchester after a superb four-year spell in Germany where he scored 50 goals and registered 64 assists.
Sancho, who will wear the no.25 shirt at United, has rightly established himself as one of the top talents in the Bundesliga while securing international recognition in the meantime.
He spent two years in the Man City academy before joining Dortmund in 2017, and a hefty chunk of the £73m transfer fee is set to go to them due to a sell-on clause.
On the move to Old Trafford, Sancho said: “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.
“The chance to join Manchester United is a dream come true and I just cannot wait to perform in the Premier League.
“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.
“I am looking forward to working with the manager and his coaching team to further develop my game.”
Despite now having an association with both the red and blue halves of Manchester, his childhood allegiances do lie elsewhere though….
The Chelsea fan who loved Lampard
Sancho admitted to talkSPORT in June he grew up as a Chelsea fan and idolised Frank Lampard.
The winger was born in Camberwell, London, and has a soft spot for the Blues.
“I’d probably say Frank Lampard,” Sancho told talkSPORT when asked who his England hero was. “I was a Chelsea fan growing up, I can’t lie!
“Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard were my favourite players at the time.
“I just love Frank Lampard and how he played his game; he was so direct and so composed on the ball. I like things like that.”
Snubbed City to join Dortmund
The England star joined City in 2014 as a 14-year-old, from Watford, and quickly impressed in their academy.
By the age of 17, he was pushing to be included in the first-team and have more chances.
Impressive performances at the Under-17 European Championship put him on the radar of clubs around Europe.
He was offered a £30,000-a-week salary by City to stay, but he wanted to be given first-team chances immediately.
It is clear from the way Pep Guardiola has handed the Phil Foden situation that he believes a gradual integration to the team is the way to go.
Getty Images
“It is obvious,” said Sancho, when asked in a 2019 interview why he joined Dortmund.
“They play a lot of young players. They have faith in young players. It is a big club, in a good league, so why not?”
Sancho has played 137 times for Dortmund since he joined, already scoring 50 goals.
Foden has played 124 games for City, with many at the start of his career coming off the bench, but has already won the Premier League three times as well as four League Cups and the FA Cup.
AFP
Haaland loves him
Both Haalands that is, his Dortmund teammate Erling and father Alf-Inge.
Haaland and Sancho immediately clicked when the former joined from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020.
Last year, Sancho said: “We combine very well and we’re able to bring that into the games and help the team. I’m really happy that he’s here.”
Haaland returned the compliment. “You can see on the pitch it’s very good. He’s a great guy,” the Norwegian told reporters.
“I’m enjoying my time here so far. My teammates are so good, as you can see, and that makes it easier for me.
“There’s a lot more to come. It was a normal Saturday for me, and I’ll go to bed early tonight.”
Haaland was even calling for Sancho to be brought on by England in their last-16 Euro 2020 clash with Germany.
He wrote on Twitter: “Time to bring on Sancho.”
There has been some bemusement that the England winger, who has been one of the best players in Germany over the last two seasons, cannot start for his country.
Alf-Inge Haaland also reacted with shock after it was confirmed Sancho would be joining United.
in response to a tweet by Fabrizio Romano, he wrote: “F***. But all the best Sancho. You will be missed.”
DREAM TEAM IS BACK! SIGN UP NOW FOR THE 21/22 SEASON FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £100,000
[ad_2]
Source link
