Barcelona and Jadon Sancho are a dream fit for each other

Although most of the transfer rumors have linked Manchester United to Jadon Sancho, here’s why FC Barcelona would be the best landing spot for the Borussia Dortmund star.

Borussia Dortmund know it’s an inevitability at this point, regardless of what the summer transfer market looks like or how long it lasts. Jadon Sancho will leave the Bundesliga after the 2019-20 season and begin the next chapter of his career at one of the world’s elite clubs.

Manchester United, Barcelona, and Real Madrid are three teams who have been linked to Sancho in transfer rumors, in that order of frequency. There has been so much smoke between the Red Devils and the England international that it was even reported as a done deal in March.

However, Sancho hasn’t officially moved yet. And while there’s no doubt transfer prices will plummet this summer, Dortmund are steady on their demand for €130 million from the title contenders who hope to sign the 20-year-old.

United are the overwhelming favorites, but they actually aren’t the best fit for Sancho on paper. If there’s one club that stands out above the rest as the perfect destination for Sancho, then it’s Barcelona.

First, it’s important to address Barcelona’s need for the versatile winger, who can excel on either the left or right. Last season, Barcelona learned that they could no longer rely on Ousmane Dembele, who was once Dortmund’s transcendent all-star running the show, because he’s a high injury risk. They also quickly realized that Luis Suarez can no longer start for a team with Champions League title ambitions, and Martin Braithwaite, though solid, is nothing more than a stopgap option.

Barcelona have also failed to get the most out of Antoine Griezmann, whom they signed from Atletico Madrid for more than €100 million last summer. Griezmann is a prolific attacker with one of the deftest finishing touches in football, but Barca were forced to waste his talents on the left side of the formation.

La Blaugrana could still reunite with Neymar, who should be available this summer at a discount price. But what if that ship has sailed? Sequels are rarely as good as the original, and reuniting with a 28-year-old player who is also a high injury risk does not sound like an investment — more like a luxury.

Sancho, however, is a 20-year-old coming off 14 goals and 15 assists in 1,807 Bundesliga minutes and has nowhere to go but up. Equal parts creator and goal-scorer, Sancho can be a devastating complement to Lionel Messi on the left side of the formation, where he’s prolific at cutting inside and scoring.

Last season, no player in all of Europe’s top-five leagues averaged more goals and assists (minus penalty goals) per 90 minutes than Sancho. An among the 11 players in the league with at least 10 goals, Sancho had the second-highest percentage of shots on target (53.3 percent).

A nightmare to stop with the ball at his feet and one of the most creative providers in Europe, Sancho’s clinical finishing can easily get overlooked in the context of his other impressive numbers.

Sancho’s scoring ability can be a boon to Barcelona, but, yes, it’s those creative numbers that make him stand out as an especially good fit for Barca. He can help the club get the most out of Griezmann, who really should be one of the world’s best forwards at the Camp Nou. Whether it was Paco Alcacer or Erling Haaland, Dortmund strikers benefited greatly from playing alongside Sancho, who led the Bundesliga with the most passes into the penalty area in 2019-20.

An electrifying dribbler, hard-working winger, clinical finisher, and brilliant passer, Sancho has consistently become a scarier and scarier proposition for defenses. With his tactical awareness and reading of the game, Sancho sees weaknesses on counterattacks and the tiny bits of spaces in the final third, and he has the acceleration and instincts on the ball to quickly exploit them.

Manchester United may be the favorites, but Barcelona can offer Sancho the opportunity to compete for a Champions League title, play with a functional midfield, and benefit from being alongside Greizmann and Messi. Sancho created exciting moments at Dortmund with Achraf Hakimi, Haaland, Alcacer, Marco Reus, and Thorgan Hazard as his teammates, but the caliber of help around him will be at another level at Barcelona.

Sancho can win a Ballon d’Or in the future. But at Barcelona, he can come one step closer towards becoming a champion at both a domestic and continental level.

As for Barcelona, they are the ones who truly need Sancho. The 20-year-old has greatness in his veins and can excel anywhere. Barcelona, however, need a dynamic, all-around winger with energy, consistency, and end product. There isn’t a more ideal option than BVB’s No. 7.