Rijo Sam Daniel
Manchester United told signing Jadon Sancho was a mistake instead of addressing priority issues
Jadon Sancho was a summer signing for Manchester United, but the latter have been told that it was a mistake to bring him in instead of addressing their priority issues. He has had a difficult start to life at Old Trafford but has looked like his usual self in recent games.
Sancho was prised away from Borussia Dortmund for a transfer fee of €85 million this summer. He was a long-term target for Man United, having failed to bring him in before that. The pressure was mounting on him due to his poor performances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but that has changed since the latter’s departure. However, Carlton Palmer believes that he should not have been signed in the first place.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT (h/t Manchester Evening News), Palmer conveyed that the club should have gone for Declan Rice and addressed their issues in midfield. He added how Rice would have gelled the team together while providing balance which they were lacking.
“If I were Manchester United, I’m not saying I wouldn’t have taken Sancho but Rice is the one that I would have got. He would have knitted their midfield together and that’s the type of player that Manchester United need.”
Fair analysis?
Bringing in the England winger was not a mistake in itself, but the glaring issue is how our flaws were not addressed in the transfer window, especially in central midfield. The West Ham United star would have helped in solving it with the quality that he has shown for club and country.
We still need reinforcements in that position and should we sign the Hammers midfielder, it would significantly increase the prospect of us becoming a contender. However, there is nothing to indicate that it can happen anytime soon. While Scott McTominay and Fred have gotten better following the departure of Solskjaer, they are still not the complete package and fail to help us in certain phases of the game. The West Ham superstar would have been a valuable addition for that reason- the base he would have given our attacking players to rely upon as they go forward.
As for the former Dortmund man, he has taken well into the number ten role that Ralf Rangnick has used him in. He plays alongside Bruno Fernandes in the 4-2-2-2 system and is looking like the man that provided excellent performances in Germany. His earlier struggles could be explained by the difference in roles under Ole and Rangnick but then again, he was a winger at Signal Iduna Park as well. It may just have been that the youngster needed time to adjust to a different environment.
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Palmer does make sense but it could have been that Rice was either not available or that we thought it would be better to bring in Sancho first. If it was the latter, it would then raise questions as to why Amad Diallo was signed in January considering he is of a similar age profile and plays in the same position. So, while there is no solid indication of it as of now, let’s hope the club can back in the market for a player such as Rice because we could use a solid defensive midfielder right about now.
