Sancho to Man Utd: Old Trafford the platform to release untapped talent – Solskjaer

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Jadon Sancho has made the perfect step at the right time in his career, as he believes Manchester United’s latest addition can showcase ‘untapped talent’ at Old Trafford.

United’s long pursuit of Sancho has resulted in a deal that Stats Perform understands is worth £72.9million (€85m), making him the fourth most expensive signing in the club’s history, behind Paul Pogba, Harry Maguire and Romelu Lukaku.

The 21-year-old, who left United’s rivals Manchester City to join Borussia Dortmund in 2017, has signed until 2026 with an option for a further year.

Sancho scored 50 goals and provided 57 assists in 137 appearances across all competitions for BVB, with only Erling Haaland and Marco Reus having scored more since the winger made his debut.

In 104 Bundesliga appearances, Sancho netted 38 times, averaging a goal every 197 minutes, bettering the totals of the wide players he has joined at United in Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Daniel James.

Having secured a long-term target – Sancho was the subject of much speculation in 2020 – Solskjaer hailed the England international as the ideal player to bring into United’s squad.

“Jadon epitomises the type of player I want to bring to the club, he is a forward player in the best traditions of Manchester United,” Solskjaer told the club’s official website.

“He will form an integral part of my squad for years to come and we look forward to seeing him blossom. His goals and assists records speak for themselves and he will also bring tremendous pace, flair and creativity to the team. 

“Old Trafford will give him the platform he needs to release his untapped talent and perform at the highest level. For a player of his age, Jadon has already achieved a great deal and showed the courage to go and prove himself abroad. We all look forward to welcoming Jadon to the squad as we prepare for the new campaign.”

For his part, Sancho – who came through Watford’s academy before moving to City at the age of 14 – explained it was always his plan to return to the Premier League.

He 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.”

Sancho also thanked Dortmund directly, telling the Bundesliga club’s official website: “I can’t thank the people in charge at Borussia Dortmund enough for the chance they gave me as a very young player. 

“At BVB I was able to mature into the player I am today. The DFB-Pokal win last season was a great end to my time at BVB. But I will always remember the support and love of the incredible fans as something special.”