Manchester United have been chasing Jadon Sancho for months but so far have not been able to get a transfer over the line as Borussia Dortmund continue to stand firm in their demands.
And now the Old Trafford outfit have been told to end their pursuit of the England international – because he is no different a type of player to others already at the club.
Former United assistant manager Steve McClaren thinks that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer already has similar players at his disposal like Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, and Anthony Martial.
Because of this the former England boss does not think Solskjaer should be pursuing Sancho because he needs an out and out goalscorer, very much like Erling Haaland, a player United tried to sign.
Martial has been utilised through the middle and has been a success but McClaren still does not think he is a natural goalscorer.
“The front four are so quick, they’re so exciting and they cause so many problems, and Martial is a fantastic player, but in the big games when it really matters he never looks like a true goalscorer,” McClaren told talkSPORT. “They need class in that position.
“I don’t think [Romelu] Lukaku fit into what Man United are all about, that high intensity, and I think they need that.
“The manager is helpless if the club don’t back him and go for the likes of Haaland. What a perfect fit he would have been. I’ve seen him for Dortmund and he’s an incredible player at 20. Imagine him in the Man United team, that would be spot on. So they’re not far away, but they have to spend the money and get the right players.
“I’ve seen Jadon Sancho play a lot for Dortmund and he’s very, very exciting, but he’s a little bit like Martial, [Marcus] Rashford and [Mason] Greenwood and I wonder, do they really need that?
“He’s not a No 9, and Martial, Rashford and Greenwood aren’t that either. You’ve got to get a fox in the box, a goalscorer and No 9 and they’ve got to find one quick.
“Yes, Sancho would improve the squad, but to win big games and to win cups, you need a No 9 and you need two damn good centre-backs. Haaland would have been perfect; a young talented striker, a No 9 who can play under pressure – they’re difficult to find.
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“Harry Kane, will they get him out of Tottenham? I doubt it very much, but they need someone of that ilk.”
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago
