…as Red Devils top penalties’ awarded chart
Manchester United will push ahead with their move to sign Jadon Sancho after confirming their place in next season’s Champions League, sources have told ESPN.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side won 2-0 at Leicester on the final day to earn a third-place finish and the Norwegian has already made his case to club chiefs to strengthen the squad ahead of campaigns in the Premier League and in Europe next season.
Sancho remains United’s top summer target and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and chief negotiator Matt Judge will now set about agreeing a fee with Borussia Dortmund.
The Bundesliga side have so far stuck rigidly to their valuation of £118 million but United are hopeful of reaching a compromise of £80m plus a series of achievable add-ons.
Sancho has two years left on the contract he signed in October 2018 and Dortmund are under no pressure to sell but they have been made aware by the 20-year-old’s representatives that he would like to pursue a new challenge and is keen to move to Old Trafford.
Liverpool and Real Madrid have both shown tentative interest but sources have told ESPN that they are not in a position to bid this summer.
Chelsea have privately ruled out a move after signing Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner while Bayern Munich have already strengthened their forward line with Leroy Sane.
Former club Manchester City have the right to match any bid accepted by Dortmund but do not have a buy-back clause.
It leaves United as the frontrunners to sign Sancho if they can agree a fee. Solskjaer’s transfer budget will be improved after qualifying for the Champions League and significant funds will be available despite the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman is on United’s list of alternatives if they cannot secure a deal for Sancho, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Manchester United broke the Premier League record for the most penalties awarded in a single season with 14.
Bruno Fernandes scored a decisive spot-kick in the 2-0 victory at Leicester City to seal a place in the Champions League.
Leicester held the previous record of 13 awarded during their title winning campaign in 2015-16 alongside Crystal Palace in the 2004-05 season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have scored 10 goals from the spot in the league this season, three more than relegated Watford who converted seven.
United were awarded three penalties in the opening four league games of the campaign but Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford missed against Wolves and Palace respectively.
Rashford and Anthony Martial also missed penalties in the same game in the 3-1 victory over Norwich City in October.
Since Fernandes joined the club in January, United have scored every penalty with the midfielder converting four out of the five awarded.
