Sir Alex Ferguson has heaped praise on Jadon Sancho and backed the Manchester United transfer target to have a huge impact for England at Euro 2020.
Sancho was close to joining United 12 months ago and Fergie’s former team have revived their interest in the 21-year-old this summer transfer window.
Scoring 50 goals in 137 games, Sancho has established himself as one of Dortmund’s most important players since leaving Manchester City in 2017, while has has also become a regular player for England.
Sancho did not play in England’s opening Euros win over Croatia on Sunday but Ferguson expects him to be a ‘valuable’ member of Gareth Southgate’s team across the tournament.
The former Red Devils manager told SportBild: ‘I think a lot of Jadon Sancho. With his one-on-one duels, as an assister and scorer, he is extremely dangerous.
‘He has so much potential, he helps the team. That’s why he’ll be valuable to England over the course of the tournament.’
Last week, it was reported that United had had an ambitious £60million offer for Sancho turned down by Borussia Dortmund.
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After the failed bid, Sancho was asked about the speculation linking him with a move to United and said: ‘I don’t really look at it. When I’m during the season I always focus on myself and the team because that’s the most important thing that we can do.
‘When I’m on the pitch, I’m always giving my all and trying to create what I do on the pitch, that’s goals and assists. I try to work hard.’
When asked if there was any reason for Southgate dropping Sancho, Ferdinand said on his Vibe With Five Youtube show: ‘We don’t need one. I think he [Sancho] would have got an explanation.
‘I’m hoping that Gareth has got an arm around him because the players that need most talking to after a game like yesterday are the ones who don’t play.
‘In a squad, the ones that don’t play are the ones you need on-side, because you’re going to need them. ‘So the fact that social media and people in different parts of the media were going, “How can Sancho not play?!” … he’s going to get his time.
‘And the job of the management is to make sure that he doesn’t fall into that trap of, “Why am I not playing? This is a liberty, I’m downing tools.”
‘He’s got to be in the mindset of: “I’m going to get my moment and when that time comes, I’m grabbing it with both hands”. That’s how he’s got to be thinking.’
