Lee Sharpe says Sancho will be a superstar for Manchester United

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Former Manchester United double winner Lee Sharpe has tipped Jadon Sancho to be a superstar during his time at Old Trafford.

Sancho endured a difficult start to life at Old Trafford but he was February’s player of the month and it was a huge surprise when he was excluded from Gareth Southgate’s most recent England squad.

Southgate said: “

“The other attacking players in the squad are slightly ahead of him (Sancho) in our feeling.

“Jadon over the last few weeks his performances have improved but it’s an area of the field we’ve got big competition for places.”

Speaking to the Athletic, Sharpe said of the 21-year-old: “I like Jadon Sancho. He struggled when he got to Old Trafford, but players do struggle after international tournaments.

“It’s not just the physical load, and Sancho wasn’t playing all the time (in the European Championship) for England, it’s the mental side. Harry Maguire, Harry Kane, Luke Shaw… these players have struggled (this season).

“I think it’s because they didn’t have a proper break, they get mentally fatigued as well as physically. And reaching the final meant emotional disappointment. Sancho had a couple of little injuries at the start (with United) and he got over them. There’s no question of his ability.

“He can go past people for fun; he’s got a clever footballing brain in that he makes the right decisions at the right time. He can see a pass, chooses the right pass, he plays at pace, he doesn’t just swing a cross in. I think he will be a superstar at United.”

Sancho was called up to the squad for the October internationals, playing 73 minutes and getting two assists in the 5-0 away win over Andorra.

That came at a time when he was struggling for United, so it does not make too much sense that now he is playing better, he is not back in.

There remains a sense that Sancho has never fully gained Southgate’s trust with England and he is just outside his real core, trusted group of forwards.

That said, his World Cup hopes look in better shape than Marcus Rashford’s right now, with the United forward also omitted from the squad to face Switzerland and Ivory Coast later this month.