Should Tottenham sign Manchester United outcast amid links as he looks to revive his Premier League career? – Opinion

Following an underwhelming spell at Manchester United, many have been questioning the potential that Jadon Sancho possesses, especially given his highly regarded ceiling given his performances at the Manchester City academy, followed by how he took the Bundesliga by storm with Borussia Dortmund. But a troubled relationship with then-United manager Erik ten Hag, complemented by his decline in form, led the England winger to be moved on to Chelsea on a loan deal, and while he showed glimpses of his potential at Stamford Bridge, the Blues opted against securing his signature on a long term.

That being said, Sancho does remain a player that possesses elite technical ability, and now with Tottenham Hotspur entering yet another transitional phase as Thomas Frank takes charge of the North Londoners, there is this idea of reviving the former Borussia Dortmund’s ace’s career in the English top tier at Hotspur Way is being floated around.

So as I think about the probables, the question remains quite simple: is Sancho worth taking, or would he be a stylistic mismatch waiting to happen at Hotspur Way?

First let’s take a look at what he brings to the table in terms of traits and attributes…

Jadon Sancho has always had an elite ability when it comes to his technical ability. He has that exciting close control and is quite capable of operating in tight spaces. And then he also has shown that capacity to operate in the first third when it comes to his vision and weight of passes, especially when he is in his rhythm.

Moreover, you can also use the Man City academy graduate as a ball progressor, given how efficient and effective he is when he carries the ball and has that capacity to glide past players in the offensive zones.

Jadon is also good with his link-up play in the final third given how he likes to play one-twos and try to make the attack more flowing.

But that being said, he is not your classic ‘let me run at them’ winger. Sancho is someone that thrives more in structured and technical systems which have defined movement patterns around him. And that is what made Sancho very effective during his time at Dortmund.

And if I am speaking about United, the often inconsistent and erratic buildups made his role unclear at Old Trafford.

How would Jadon Sancho fit at Tottenham under Thomas Frank?

Thomas Frank likes to deploy his wide forwards in more of a grinding role where they have to depict a sense of off-the-ball intelligence complemented by playing in a compact structure (in mid-blocks with the capacity to make rapid transitions). The Dane head coach also likes to have inside-outside rotations from his offensive players in the final third.

And when it comes to Sancho, his attributes match that of Frank’s needs partially. He can operate as a pure left winger or in more of an inverted right winger role at Tottenham. And he is also smart enough to play in a stricter system complemented by the possibilities of his link-up with the likes of Maddison or Udogie in tight triangles.

And when facing low-block opponents, Sancho’s technical abilities would be a huge asset.

But then there are things where he doesn’t quite come through with what Frank wants. Sancho is not someone who is consistently on the hunt in terms of pressing, and this would be below the standards that Thomas Frank would want to implement in his Tottenham side.

Moreover, another off-the-ball problem is how Sancho has low intensity off the ball, and this will be risky in a structure that needs defensive work from the front three.

And then there is money…

While Tottenham would get Sancho on a cut-price free from Manchester United, there could also be possibilities for his current employers to accept a loan-to-buy deal, which can delay the immediate fee needed to secure his signature. But there is a problem with his wages given how they are significant.

Sancho is only worth a gamble if Tottenham can sign him on their own terms

The thing is that Sancho is no Thomas Frank-type forward, or at least that is what it looks like to me, but if the right circumstances are presented for a possible transfer where he can be signed for a lower fee with softer wage demands, then he can end up being a valuable technical addition to the current roster, especially in games where they face a low-pushing opponent.