Man Utd: Ian Wright backs ‘top drawer’ Jadon Sancho to begin justifying £73m price tag next season

Jadon Sancho will kick on and start showing his ‘top drawer’ ability more often for Manchester United next season, according to Ian Wright. 

Sancho ended his campaign on a high by levelling the score in United’s closing 2-1 win over Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

His strike helped Erik ten Hag’s men secure a third-place finish in the Premier League, with Champions League football therefore back on the cards next term.

It has been a rollercoaster of an individual season for Sancho, whose United future appeared bleak when Ten Hag sent him to Holland at the end of last year to train alone amid concerns over his physical and mental readiness to play for the club.

Since returning in January, however, the 23-year-old has produced improved displays while registering four goals and two assists in the league.

Jadon Sancho will kick on at Man United with the right players around him, says Ian Wright

Sancho ended the season on a high by scoring in United’s closing 2-1 victory over Fulham

Ten Hag will hope to see a more consistent all-round season from Sancho in 2023-24, and Wright is backing United’s £73million signing to do exactly that with the right players around him.  

The Arsenal legend said about Sancho on Match of the Day: ‘The potential that Ten Hag knows he has, he recognised that he needed a little bit of a break and sent him to Holland for a bit of physical and mental recuperation.

‘But we know the capability of this guy and know what he’s capable of in respects of his ability and skills. Once he has that main focal point like he had at Dortmund with [Marco] Reus and people like that, he will do his stuff because we’re talking about somebody ability wise he is absolutely top drawer. 

‘He’s got six goals and three assists this season and I’m sure that from the money they paid for him they do want more from him, because I feel he’s starting to settle and you can feel that Man United will make more signings and he’ll have a lot more players to play off and I’m sure we’ll see a lot more from Jadon Sancho. 

‘It’s brilliant, I’m delighted for him. I’m delighted for Ten Hag. You can only see good things happening at Man United.’

Sancho completed his big-money move to United back in 2021 but is yet to truly justify his £73million price tag, recording just five goals and three assists in his debut season.

Wright believes Sancho has ‘top drawer’ ability and will start showing it more often next term

Erik ten Hag has benefitted from sending the player on a mid-season break to Holland

The winger improved on that return this season, nevertheless, and Ten Hag is happy with the progress he has made.

Following their 4-1 win over Chelsea on Thursday, the United boss said about Sancho: ‘He did very well on the right. Played a very good game today. He is one of the players who has made progress this season. That is a good base to build further on.

‘He can do both. He prefers to play on the left but we have seen today he is very good on the right as well.’