Manchester United send signal they are done chasing Jadon Sancho

Manchester United may have finally given up on signing Jadon Sancho. They plan to make a January swoop for Ousmane Dembele instead. 

Jadon Sancho has been Manchester United’s top transfer target for the better part of a calendar year. It seems the Red Devils may have finally given up on bringing the English starlet home. The club’s intention to return for Ousmane Dembele in January sends a clear signal that United are done chasing Sancho.

According to The Daily Mail, United’s efforts to ink Dembele on loan this summer failed when the player refused to extend his contract with Barcelona. United officials were disappointed to miss out on the chance to add him to their squad immediately, but now believe they’re well-positioned to secure him on a permanent basis in January.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad doesn’t need to add multiple wide players in the immediate future. Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Mason Greenwood give Manchester United more than enough wide attacking players. There’s a cogent argument to be made that adding Dembele actually gives the squad too many players contending for spots in Solskjaer’s starting XI.

That puts the likelihood of United returning for Sancho in major question. Club officials were clearly put off by Dortmund’s refusal to engage in negotiations this summer. To put it more bluntly, officials at Old Trafford were shocked at the German side’s refusal to lower their asking price or adjust their deadline to make a deal. Dortmund officials made it clear they wanted to retain Sancho and executed their plan without deviation.

United’s decision to move on from him as a transfer target might also be due to the expectation that more clubs will return for him next summer. Barcelona, Real Madrid, and PSG could all get in the race when the global economy rebounds. United don’t want to get into a bidding war with those European powers for a player who wouldn’t necessarily walk right into their starting XI.

There’s plenty of time for things to change between now and January, but the odds of United signing Sancho anytime soon are decreasing by the day. The club may have permanently missed their chance to secure the electric attacker by playing hardball with Dortmund this summer.