KEY POINTS

  • Man Utd are set to pay $101 million for Sancho's transfer
  • Sancho has been Solskjaer's top target for over a year now
  • Sancho is currently with England at the Euros 2020

Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand pointed out Thursday what Jadon Sancho would fix in the Red Devils' attack ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Soon after it was confirmed that Manchester United and Dortmund had reached a deal worth approximately $101 million for Sancho, Ferdinand took to his YouTube channel to explain that Sancho would resolve Manchester United's problems on the right side of their attack. The soccer player-turned-pundit added that Sancho would certainly trouble the best of the defenses in the Premier League.

"On the right-hand side, and the left-hand side, we haven't got a winger who goes on the outside. Goes on the outside and crosses the ball. That's what you need. He can play right-wing, left-wing, he can go both ways, he plays with both feet. But on that right wing, as well as Mason [Greenwood] has done, and I'm a massive Mason Greenwood fan, out there having a winger," Ferdinand, who spent 12 years at Old Trafford between 2002 and 2014, said on his YouTube channel called Rio Ferdinand Present FIVE. "This is Man United, always associated with wingers. Always have done it over the years. Any of our most successful times there’s been wide players who can go on the outside and cross the ball."

In the current Manchester United attack, the right hand has belonged to Greenwood since his first-team debut in 2018. However, he played as a center-forward during his youth days.

The former Leeds United defender Ferdinand was convinced Sancho's arrival would bring more variety in the Old Trafford side's attack.

"Mason wants goals, which is a good element, a good aspect, but Jadon gives you both options and for a full-back - terrible news. The element of going on the outside, beating the full-back and crossing it and then the Mason Greenwood's, the Cavani's, the Rashford's coming in from the other side, we should be getting more goals from those scenarios this season. He will add to the attacking variety we have in a red shirt," Ferdinand said further.

Sancho has asked for the iconic No. 7 shirt but Manchester United are yet to take a call on that since it currently belongs to veteran forward Edinson Cavani.

Giovanni Reyna, Jadon Sancho and Julian Brandt during the Borussia Dortmund training.
Jadon Sancho (center) made his senior debut with Dortmund in 2017. Marco Verch on Flickr

Moreover, Sancho’s move to Manchester United is still subject to medicals. He is currently with the England national team at the Euros 2020. Having played only a whole of six minutes so far in the tournament, Sancho will hope to get more minutes ahead of England’s quarters clash with Ukraine on Saturday.