Man Utd slammed for having ‘no plan’ for Sancho and Van de Beek
Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek are proof of Manchester United’s lack of transfer planning, according to England legend Ian Wright.
Sancho was chased by Man Utd for more than a year before he was ultimately landed in the summer of 2021 from Borussia Dortmund. Meanwhile, Van de Beek was captured from Ajax in 2020.
Together, the pair cost over £110 million, though their combined impact on the Man Utd starting XI has been minimal.
Though the signing of both players was praised as good business at the time, Wright believes that the pair’s inability to make an impact is to do with the lack of joined-up thinking at Man Utd presently.
Speaking to The Ringer, Wright explained: “I feel like what’s going on with Man United, I think it’s a testament, well it’s not a testament, it’s a fallacy from the people upstairs and what they’re doing with someone like Jadon Sancho, who they’ve pursued continuously.
“They’ve got no plan for him to go in the team. It’s the same as if any other business spent money that flailingly, £40m on Donny van de Beek, £73m to £75m on Jadon Sancho and they’re not playing.
“Man United haven’t even got a system, playing wing-backs, you’re buying wingers. Oh my gosh, it is so sad.”
How often have Sancho and Van de Beek been used?
Man Utd’s failure to use both Sancho and Van de Beek is particularly puzzling because their form has been poor largely disappointing.
Van de Beek, for example, has made only four Premier League starts in more than a year while Sancho has featured from the outset only three league matches since his high-profile summer move.
As such, there is no argument that either has been given a proper chance to impress.
With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer switching to a 3-5-2 formation amid the club’s present troubles, it appears that both Sancho and Van de Beek’s best hope of Man Utd game time is a change of manager.