Man Utd want “world-class” £13m star who’d send Sancho packing

There are less than ten days to go until the transfer window slams shut, and while Manchester United have been busy this summer, there are still a few areas that could be addressed.

Erik ten Hag has already welcomed in the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Noussair Mazraoui, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co have yet to hand him a new winger.

Fortunately for the Dutchman, that looks like it’s about to change, as recent reports have touted a former European champion for a move to Old Trafford in the coming days, and his arrival could finally see Jadon Sancho’s time at the club come to an end.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report from Spanish newspaper Sport, United are interested in signing Juventus ace Federico Chiesa.

In fact, the report goes a step further than that, claiming that, alongside Chelsea, the Red Devils have already made an offer to the Italian international, who is widely reported to be surplus to requirements in Turin.

If Ratcliffe and Co push on with this deal, they could reportedly secure the winger’s services for a fee as low as £13m, which could be a steal if he can get back to his best in England.

United might have to contend with more than just Chelsea to sign Chiesa, but given his raw talent and the low fee, he could be the perfect player to replace Sancho in the squad, even if he’s just a stopgap until a superstar winger comes onto the market.

How Chiesa compares to Sancho

So, if United are to sign Chiesa for the cut-price fee being reported, he’d likely come in to play off the right, as while he’s played on the left before, it’s not his most played position, and he’s just not going to displace Marcus Rashford, who has a lot to prove himself this year.

Therefore, one of his biggest rivals for game time could be Sancho, but how do the pair actually stack up to one another?

Well, when it comes to attacking players, one stat matters above all others: output. When we look at it over the last two seasons – as the United ace played half a campaign last year – there isn’t much of a competition at all.

For example, in his 70 appearances for the Old Lady across the 22/23 and 23/24 campaigns, the “world-class” Genova-born ace, as described by journalist Zach Lowy, scored 14 goals and provided nine assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 3.04 games.

In contrast, the Englishman scored ten goals and provided six assists in 65 appearances, equating to an entirely mediocre average of a goal involvement once every 4.06 games.

It’s not just about what’s happening on the pitch, though, as the problems between the former Borussia Dortmund star and Ten Hag are well known at this point, and when you combine that off-field issue with his lacklustre form and the fact he’s on a massive wage of £350k-per-week including bonuses, replacing him with Chiesa, even just for the short term, makes perfect sense.

Therefore, United should do what they can to bring the Italian wideman to Old Trafford this summer, as at his current price, he is a bargain and based on his form over the last two seasons, he would be more productive than the Englishman.