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Man United and Chelsea target Jadon Sancho on career goals, his 'wow' factor and emulating Brazil legend

AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

Both Manchester United and Chelsea are in the hunt for Jadon Sancho ahead of his anticipated return to the Premier League this summer.

The Borussia Dortmund man is expected to commit the next key spell in his development to a top flight club, with Manchester United increasingly confident they will win the race.

Chelsea are hopeful of luring the England international too, and the boyhood Blue has previously spoken about the impact Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba had on his career.

Comments made last year gave a hint as to how Sancho hopes his career will progress from here. Earmarking Brazil legend Ronaldinho as a player he would love to emulate, Sancho talked working on his 'wow' factor.

"I've always wanted to be a professional footballer, make people watch me and say 'whoa,' like how I used to watch Ronaldinho and go 'wow, I want to be like him one day'," he told Goal.

"Hopefully, I could become that level one day and players will look up to me and say 'wow.'"

There are role models closer to home, too. In Dortmund, Sancho's career has accelerated at an incredible pace, and he has credited team-mate Marco Reus with helping him "mature as a player".

Though he narrowly missed out on the Bundesliga title with Dortmund last year, the 20-year-old has his sights fixed on trophy success and won't have given up hope of crowning his time in Germany with a first major honour this season.

Lucien Favre's side sat four points back in the Bundesliga title race at the point football in Germany was halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

And while the outbreak has put his England plans on hold for 12 months, Sancho's silverware ambitions certainly aren't restricted to club football. "[Watching in 2018] was a nice feeling and now I’m a part of it hopefully I can bring more success to the England team," he told the Metro last year.

Euro 2020 will have to wait (until 2021), but perhaps 12 months back in England leading into the rescheduled tournament will play into Sancho's hands.

Born in Kennington, the forward has regularly spoken about the mark fellow Londoner and England colleague Raheem Sterling has left on his own career.

Though their paths crossed briefly at Manchester City, it is under Gareth Southgate with the Three Lions where the two have grown close.

"To play with him is just a crazy feeling and I’m really honoured to share the pitch with him when I’m playing for England," he added.

"He’s very humble. When I first came he just introduced me to the team and brought me in and I was thankful for that. He has been an inspiration to us youngsters in London.

"Hopefully I can just follow in his footsteps."

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