Ever since Manchester United secured Champions League football, talk has been of Jadon Sancho moving to Old Trafford. Ed Woodward has been aggressively pursuing a deal for the 20-year-old but appears set to now walk away. And the Red Devils would be better off signing a centre-back, anyway, regardless of what happens with Harry Maguire’s court date in Greece.
Manchester United have spent weeks negotiating with Borussia Dortmund for Sancho via a third party.
But, while the England international would bring stardust to Old Trafford, there’s a sense that he isn’t as essential as some might think.
Sure, Sancho is a talented player. He scored 17 goals and registered 17 assists from 34 Bundesliga matches last term, enhancing his reputation as one of the world’s best youngsters in the process.
But United are already well-stocked in attack, with Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford all shining under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tutelage.
The club have also been eyeing Aston Villa star Jack Grealish.
But he, too, shouldn’t be a priority.
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Lindelof made 47 appearances for the Red Devils last term, having managed 40 and 29 respectively in his previous two years at Old Trafford.
But the 26-year-old, though he’s a slick operator, can often become exposed.
There are question marks over his aerial ability, with Lindelof outjumped in back to back matches against Crystal Palace and Southampton at the start of the season.
And he’s still prone to the odd mistake, too, with his lapse of concentration costing the club dearly as they lost 2-1 in the Europa League semi-finals to eventual winners Sevilla.
In reserve, United have Eric Bailly.
Based on sheer talent alone, the Ivory Coast international may even be the best centre-back currently at Solskjaer’s disposal.
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But Bailly has been regularly struck by injuries throughout his four years at Old Trafford. He simply can’t be trusted to stay fit, having managed just 85 appearances for the club since his 2016 switch from Villarreal.
Axel Tuanzebe is highly-rated behind the scenes but injuries have been his undoing, too.
And, while United have high hopes for youngster Teden Mengi, there’s a sense that he’ll need a loan spell before he truly makes his mark on the first-team.
Also in reserve is Phil Jones and Chris Smalling but neither player has a future at Old Trafford, with Solskjaer intending to sell the pair.
And all of this means United should be making a new defender the priority.
Attackers like Sancho win matches but top-class defenders win titles. Just like Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool. And the Red Devils should switch focus if they want to build on their third-placed league finish.