Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has come out to state that Jadon Sancho ignored his approach to join Red Bull Leipzig when he managed the German Bundesliga club.
The German tactician claimed that he approached Sancho while the player was still in Manchester City’s youth ranks and biding his time to debut for the club’s senior team.
At the same time, Borussia Dortmund approached Man City for the highly rated youngster and Rangnick lost his chance to sign Sancho for Leipzig. The Mancunian went on to become one of the Bundesliga’s best players in his time at Dortmund and one of the best young players in the world.
Sancho finally joined United for £73 million in the summer after failed attempts to sign him and is now managed by the manager he snubbed earlier in his career.
The 21-year-old struggled in his first few months at the club but has started to find his feet. He has been one of the brightest sparks in Rangnick’s troubled stint at the club so far.
Rangnick praised the winger’s qualities, and says he has been a long-term admirer of the winger.
Sancho taking time to adapt at United – Rangnick
On Sancho’s current form, Rangnick said: “Jadon, I’ve known since he was 17 when he still played in England.
“I contacted him and his agent when he was 17 and tried to convince him to join us at Leipzig, but he decided to go to Dortmund and had a great time there.
“He became one of the best wingers in the league and in Europe.
“The step to Manchester United is a big one, a massive step and it takes time. The style here fits perfectly with his assets, with him coming from the left side and I try to show him and give him my support.
“It’s more physical, more competitive. It’s about finding his best possible position and to help cope with the pressure, more than when he went to Dortmund at age of 17 or 18.”
