Manchester United will not set new transfer record to sign Jadon Sancho with £86 million deemed enough – reports

Manchester United are reportedly determined not to break their transfer record to sign Borussia Dortmund winger, Jadon Sancho this summer, if indeed it is possible for the club to realistically complete the transfer with the coronavirus pandemic likely to rage on in the background for the foreseeable future.

The Bleacher Report has claimed that the prospect of the Old Trafford club splashing £100 million or more on any player this summer would be unrealistic considering what is happening at this moment in time. There is also a belief that players around the world will be hit with a reduction in value because of it, supposedly around 15%.

The Bundesliga club valued Sancho at £100 million-plus earlier in the season and there was an expectation that this could rise even further if he performed well for England at the UEFA European Championships this summer. However, which the tournament postponed until next summer, it is unlikely for that to happen now.

United are said not to be keen to spend more than the £89 million spend on Paul Pogba in the summer of 2016 on the 20-year-old this summer. They feel that £86 million should be enough to sign the player, giving Dortmund a good return on their initial £8 million investment on the player when he left Manchester City.

It is even reported that United feel that Sancho’s value could plummet even further before the transfer window actually opens because of the pandemic. Other clubs will be looking at transfer in the same vein as United are, but I am sure they will be the only club being criticised for this. It is not frugal, it is the after effect because of the virus.

Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are both said to be interested in signing Sancho this summer with the Catalans club reportedly willing to offer Ansu Fati in return. United seem to be leading the race at this moment in time and the landscape could all change before the transfer window opens as the player will be building his career.

Former United player Paul Ince feels that Sancho should be questioning whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the right man to turn him into a world star but you expect that kind of bitterness from Ince, who was never good enough to have a long career at United and always seems to look back at the club in disdain, which is expected.

Dortmund sporting director, Michael Zorc has stated that Sancho will remain at the club until 2022, which could well be a game to ensure the club gets what they want to allow the player to leave. He could actually mean business though with the Bundesliga club hanging onto the player for two more years. However, if he left for free they would regret it.

“We have a long-term contract with Jadon Sancho (until 2022).

“Nothing will change about that now. We are totally relaxed about it.”

United might have a lot of work to do in order to change the clubs mind on selling Sancho and if they are not prepared to offer a club record fee for the player, and another club does, although Real Madrid transfer record is Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard (€100 million) with Barcelona’s being Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann (€120 million).

Sancho’s teammate, Erling Braut Haaland, has talked him his talent whilst he is being linked with an exit to United, amongst other clubs seemingly interested in the player. Haaland has stated that the 20-year-old is a ‘fantastic player’ and a player that the club is ‘lucky to have’. United missed out on the Norwegian in January, but speaking about Sancho, he said:

“He’s a fantastic player, and the stats don’t lie, what he’s been doing for us this season, so he’s a fantastic player and he will become even better. We are lucky to have him here.”

Sancho has made a total of 35 appearances at the Bundesliga club this season, scoring 17 goals and assisting a further 19, meaning he has had a total of 36 goal contributions in 35 appearances, which is a great statistic to have associated with the player. United would be lucky to sign a player such as Sancho this summer and boy do they need a player like him.

However, Solskjaer will have other options. United have also been linked with Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Kai Havertz and I am sure there will be more names being reported by the time the transfer window has actually opened. United will be seeking a long-term future when looking for players. Sancho though seems the number one target.

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I support Manchester United, the greatest English football team to have ever existed. Bruno Fernandes is the latest in a long line of players with great ability to play for the club. I idolised Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Eric Cantona growing up.