Manchester United received some bad news in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho on Monday.The German club’s sporting director Michael Zorc insisted that the 20-year-old will not be sold this summer, ending the Red Devils’ dreams of signing him."We plan on having Jadon Sancho in our team this season, the decision is final. I think that answers all our questions,” Zorc said in a press conference.According to Sky Sports, Man United are not giving up in their attempts to sign Sancho.And nor should they. Zorc said Ousmane Dembele wouldn’t leave Dortmund two months before selling the Frenchman to Barcelona in 2017.But if United are unable to complete a move for Sancho, it will be a bad look for the club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
It’s been widely reported that Sancho wants to move to Old Trafford and Dortmund have already revealed their asking price of £108 million.
United have played well in 2020 but they still finished 33 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League. Sky Sports are reporting that they are looking for alternatives, including Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman, but they shouldn’t let a world-class player like Sancho slip out of their hands.
If they do, the England international will join an incredible list of players Woodward has failed to sign.
It’s enough to make any Man United fan wince in agony. Toni Kroos and Thiago Alcantara could both be pulling the strings for United right now if Woodward had delivered.
Indeed, there’s enough to make an entire XI of world-class players United have missed out on. So that’s exactly what we’ve done.
Goalkeeper | Hugo Lloris
When David de Gea was courted by Real Madrid in 2015, Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris indicated he would be open to replacing the Spaniard.
“For the moment there is a goalkeeper at United and we are watchful of his situation. You have to keep a certain calm with all this,” he said, per Eurosport.
De Gea stayed at United, though, so there was no room for Lloris.
Defence | Dani Alves, Mats Hummels, Sergio Ramos, Leighton Baines
In 2015, ESPN reported that Man United made a bid of £28 million to sign Ramos - but were reluctant to increase it any further.
The Spanish centre-back has just finished a season in which he scored 13 goals in all competitions, and remains a world-class player.
Midfielders | Toni Kroos, Thiago Alcantara, Cesc Fabregas
When asked by beIN Sports to pick his biggest recruitment regret, former United boss David Moyes said Toni Kroos.
The Scot might have lasted longer than 10 months if he had secured a move for Kroos and Fabregas, who was also coveted.
Forwards | Gareth Bale, Thomas Muller, Ivan Perisic
Thomas Muller admitted in 2014 that he turned down an “astronomical” offer to join Man United that same summer.
"The figures that foreign clubs were talking about for me were astronomical,” he said, per the Independent.
But United couldn’t get a deal done and Muller is still shining for Bayern Munich six years on.
Here’s how the XI looks…
