Man Utd use Sancho to sign Brazil international
Robin Bairner
- 11 Dec 2023 08:50 GMT
- 3 min read
Manchester United are ready to make another push to sign Barcelona winger Raphinha during the January transfer window, with Jadon Sancho used as a trading chip.
Previous reports indicated that Man Utd were willing to trade Marcus Rashford to land the Brazil international, but according to Sport, the Red Devils have changed tactics and will now give the Blaugrana the opportunity to land Sancho.
Man Utd have reportedly given up on the prospect of any club matching their €85 million valuation for Sancho, whose transfer value has collapsed having been frozen out of the first-team picture since August following a spectacular falling out with manager Erik ten Hag.
The winger has been left to train on his own, but while the Old Trafford club want to offload him in January, there are few possibilities.
Juventus believe that he is simply too expensive, while a return to Borussia Dortmund is unlikely because his large wages are prohibitive. Sancho, meanwhile, is reportedly not interested in moving to the Saudi Pro League.
Barcelona, therefore, offers an interesting possibility give the prospect of a swap deal given that both are valued around the same figure by their respective clubs.
Man Utd desperate for Raphinha spark
Raphinha was once of interest to Man Utd when he was at Leeds, but he ultimately moved to Camp Nou, where he endured an inconsistent first season and a second campaign that has been hampered by injury.
The 26-year-old previously impressed in the Premier League and would at least offer Man Utd some relief from the drama that Sancho has brought upon himself over the course of the last three months.
Indeed, Ten Hag is desperate to bring life to an attack that is toiling this season. This was only highlighted as Man Utd were embarrassingly defeated 3-0 at home by Bournemouth at the weekend, with Rasmus Hojlund and Antony carrying little threat from the start of the match and Rashford only introduced following a stint on the bench.
A Raphinha for Sancho trade may, therefore, be one that suits all parties, yet such swap deals are notoriously complicated to arrange, even in circumstances that would appear to benefit everyone.
