Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho has been advised to choose Liverpool or Chelsea over Manchester United if he moves in this summer’s transfer window.
The England international seems likely to be a player in demand at the end of this season as Sky Sports report he’ll be leaving Dortmund at the end of this season.
Sancho could easily strengthen most top sides around Europe, but the Daily Mirror have suggested his preference would be for a move to Man Utd over other major suitors.
One imagines there will be plenty of speculation like this between now and the summer, but former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has warned Sancho about choosing a move to Old Trafford.
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United are not as strong as they have been in recent years, and may top players have seen their careers go downhill after joining the club.
The Red Devils could definitely do with someone like Sancho to improve on their current attacking options, but the 19-year-old should be wary of going the same way as players like Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku, Angel Di Maria and Paul Pogba.
Johnson believes Liverpool or Chelsea would do a better job of bedding Sancho in properly and allowing him to develop into the talent he’s so clearly capable of being.
“I think it would be the wrong decision to sign for Man United,” the former England international told talkSPORT.
“If he goes to a team like United at the moment, of course it’s a fantastic club and it would look great on his CV, but the team are not where they should be and I think as a young kid they would put too much pressure on him from day one.
“A young lad like that shouldn’t have to fly the flag for a club like United. I think he’d feel the pressure coming to the Premier League anywhere, so to carry that with him as well would be tough.
“If he was to go to Chelsea or Liverpool or maybe a club in Spain, because he won’t be needed to come straight in and impress, they would bleed him into the team over time which would help his development. He might not be guaranteed to start every week, but he’d be doing it in the right way.
“Whereas if he went to United, yes he’d start every week but the team are struggling so it would be hard for him to find his feet.
“It [a move to Liverpool] might not be the best decision for him today, at the moment they’ve got the perfect side, but in two years’ time he could be well amongst it. He’d still only be 21.
“I’m not suggesting he’d stall his career for two years, I’d expect him to be knocking on the door and obviously it just takes one injury [for him to get a chance].
“But Liverpool’s foundations are set in stone and I just think they’d bleed him into the team in the right manner.
“Lamps would definitely look after him at Chelsea, and then there’ the attraction of London.
“While Manchester United are sliding down, Chelsea are on their way up with loads of young players and I could see that being a perfect fit for him.
“To have too many youngster when the team is going down is not a good thing, but put the youngsters into a team that’s flourishing, on its way up and positive, then it’s going to be easier for them to perform.
“There would be pressure on Jadon from day one if he goes to United.”
Liverpool don’t exactly look in need of more players up front due to the presence of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, though of course Jurgen Klopp would surely find it hard to turn this opportunity down if it did arise this summer.
Chelsea, meanwhile, really look in need of a signing like Sancho to come in as a long-term replacement for Eden Hazard, who left for Real Madrid last summer while the Blues were under a transfer ban.