Rio Ferdinand has stated that Manchester United are selling a player who used to dazzle him when he played football as a kid.
Manchester United are going through a rebuild… again. This time, it’s the role of Ruben Amorim to reconstruct the Red Devils in his image. And so far this summer, he’s doing a stellar job.
The purchases of two of the Premier League’s best in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have instilled some much-needed optimism around Old Trafford.
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha of Manchester United celebrate winning the Summer Series league after the Premier League Summer Series match between Manchester United and Everton FC
Photo by Kevin C. Cox – Premier League/Getty Images
But to balance the books, outgoings are also essential. One of which has been destined for some time – and that’s Jadon Sancho.
Rio Ferdinand lauds Jadon Sancho when he was a youngster
Sancho looks destined to leave Manchester United in this window, after a rotten relationship with the club and the last few managers, alongside fans.
It’s such a shame, given the talent the Englishman showcased at youth level and Borussia Dortmund. Talent noted by United legend Rio Ferdinand.
“I’ve known him for a long time, he’s from my area, and this kid’s ability… is up there with the best players around,” Ferdinand told TalkSPORT.
“If you look at clips of him as a kid from Man City, they are always head and shoulders above anyone. But for whatever reason that is, and we don’t know – again, people at Man United have been trying to unpick: why can’t we transfer that into a Man United shirt?
“Is it the size of the club? Is it the application from the player? Has the club let him down? There are so many – like, what is the reason?
“Until he comes out one day and speaks about it, I don’t think we’ll know. But he hasn’t been able to transfer his abilities that we’ve seen as a player at Dortmund into a Manchester United shirt. It just hasn’t happened. It’s been disappointing.”
Sancho’s United exit really depends on whether anyone will take a punt on him. The 25-year-old couldn’t work it out with Chelsea, and now looks to be exploring options away from the Premier League.
It leaves you with the age-old question. Where did it all go wrong?
Why do players like Sancho fail at Manchester United?
There’s no determining factor, but Ferdinand also shared his hypothesis.
Ferdinand states: “There are different expectations, and the focus is on Manchester United.
“If a Chelsea player at centre-half has a bad game one week, really, do we hear about it? Do you guys make it a focal point of your Monday morning discussions? Not as much.
“It’s the same with an Arsenal player. If it’s a Man United player, it’s a months-long conversation. Leny Yoro had a bad game against Southampton – everybody’s writing him off.
Jadon Sancho in action for Manchester United in the Premier League
Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images
“How many bad games did Levi Colwill have last year? He would have had one or two – never heard about it. There’s a big difference in the attention that Man United get.
“And other fans of other clubs will go, “Ah, what are you talking about?” It’s a fact. Yeah, because I speak to the players now that go to Man United and they’re like – all of them, no matter where they’ve come from – it’s like: didn’t realise how big this club was.”
Alongside Sancho, the same has been seen with Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, and even Antony – so there’s probably proof in the pudding from Rio there.