Manchester United's plans for the upcoming summer are beginning to emerge. The club are in for a busy period at the end of the campaign, with numerous players and coaches linked with moves to Old Trafford.
In the managerial department, Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino are the two favourites for the role. Ralf Rangnick will step down and pass the baton to a permanent successor in the coming months as United continue to conduct their search for the right man.
In the transfer market, United are interested in a bolstering a number of key positions. Reports suggest the club want a new centre-forward, two midfielders and a right-sided winger, but didn't they sign the latter last summer?
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Less than 12 months ago, the Manchester outfit invested a significant amount in Jadon Sancho, who was signed from Borussia Dortmund after being chased by the club for some time. As a young English forward with bags of potential who had proven himself in a foreign country and in the Champions League, Sancho seemed destined for the top and United were understandably interested in his services.
One of his biggest perks of signing Sancho was his natural ability to offer a dangerous threat on both flanks. Regardless of whether he was fielded on the left or the right for BVB, Sancho registered goals and assists on a regular basis.
During his time as a starter in the Bundesliga, Sancho scored 20 goals and registered 16 assists in around 3,864 minutes on the right flank for Dortmund. On the left, he posted 11 goals and 18 assists in roughly 2,071 minutes. He wasn't impacted by changes in role.
At the time of Sancho's transfer, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba as players who liked to operate on the left of the team's attack, but he didn't have a true fit on the opposite side. Numerous players were tested in the role including Dan James — who later joined Leeds United — but Sancho seemed to be a perfect solution.
However, he's primarily been used on the left since his arrival. In fact, Sancho has only been fielded in a right-wing role for longer than a half in just three matches for United this season.
As a result of Sancho's usage on the left, Rashford has fallen out of favour. The United academy graduate is struggling for form, and he's been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks. Anthony Elanga has been preferred on the right, with Mason Greenwood unavailable.
Sancho has assumed the spot that Rashford has favoured since his promotion from the youth ranks. And if United wish to convince Rashford to stay beyond the summer, following the news that he was considering his Old Trafford future, they could consider moving Sancho to the right and reinstalling a revitalised Rashford as the team's left-sided forward.
United are still searching for a player to occupy the right, but they already have one in Sancho.
