Date published: Monday 21st February 2022 9:44 – Jason Soutar
Rio Ferdinand believes Jadon Sancho is now thriving as he is no longer competing with Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial for a spot in Man Utd’s starting XI.
Sancho joined the Red Devils from Borussia Dortmund last summer for a £73m fee.
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He struggled for form upon his arrival, but has improved under Ralf Rangnick in recent weeks.
The 21-year-old scored against Southampton on February 2 and provided two assists as Man Utd beat Leeds 4-2 on Sunday.
And club legend Ferdinand believes the absence of Greenwood, as well as Martial’s outgoing loan to Sevilla, has had a positive impact on Sancho as he can now make a place in the starting XI his.
“For someone like Sancho, who has been searching for a bit of form and consistency, the fact that Mason Greenwood is no longer available and Martial is no longer available,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe With Five Podcast (via the Daily Mail).
A game we had to win.
We delivered together as a team.
Have a nice evening Reds. 💪🏼🔴 pic.twitter.com/KsAMxiM2iG
— Jadon Sancho (@Sanchooo10) February 20, 2022
“There is not that big threat that I’m probably not going to play next week or he’s got a chance to play somebody else.
“He might have been told behind the scenes, I would argue he probably has been told, you’re going to play now, you’re going to start every game.
“Go make it your own shirt, that confidence lift and shift from looking over his shoulder to no I’m here to play is a big difference.
“I think that is now why we’re seeing what we’re seeing from Sancho right now.”
Ferdinand has also claimed that he expected Sancho to take a while to settle in at Old Trafford.
“Adaptation to this league is very different, you watch German football, especially when he was (at Dortmund) the transition when he had to react to when his team lost the ball and probably intensity is nowhere near what it is like now.
“The physicality of the game in the Premier League is a level or two above what it is in Germany.
“You’re going to take a bit of time. He’ll be defending more than he ever has in his life, even when he was at City now he’s at United.
“He will be doing things now, especially off the ball that he has never had to do.
“It’s still adaptation, learning, new things and that is what happens when you go to a new club, especially a new country. It is to be expected.
“But you’re not really afforded that time, especially when you’re a stature in terms of signings like he was.”