Newcastle United £40m transfer verdict given as Man United name their price

Manchester United have reportedly named their asking price for winger Jadon Sancho, with the 24-year-old set to leave Old Trafford this summer. The former England star has had a turbulent three years in the North West, falling out with manager Erik ten Hag and moving back to Borussia Dortmund on loan for the 2023-24 campaign.

That saw Sancho regain the form which persuaded the Red Devils to part with around £80m to bring him back to the UK from Germany in 2021 - but Man United are now reportedly looking for just half of that to move him on this summer.

With Newcastle United said to be looking for a right-sided forward, some have suggested that Eddie Howe and Co should turn their attentions to Sancho. He fits the bill in many ways, but is he the right man for the Magpies after struggling to make an impact at Old Trafford? We asked our team of writers for their verdicts - here's what they said.

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Ciaran Kelly

If these past few weeks have taught us anything, it is under the right manager in the right environment, Jadon Sancho can still fulfil his vast potential. You only had to look at how the 24-year-old terrorised PSG in the Champions League semi-finals to realise that.

Sancho, following his return to Borussia Dortmund, looked like the player that attracted Manchester United's interest in the first place. However, what happened in the intervening period?

Can it be just down to poor management? Or was Erik ten Hag well within his rights to drop Sancho after his poor performances in training? Given Sancho's subsequent outburst, where he effectively undermined his manager, a move feels a bit of gamble at a time when Newcastle are wary of disrupting a tight-knit dressing room.

A loan with an option to buy would feel less risky but given the previously tense negotiations between these clubs - from trying to strike a temporary deal for Jesse Lingard to attempting to agree compensation for Dan Ashworth - I just can't see that happening.

Aaron Stokes

Since arriving at Newcastle United, Eddie Howe has made a habit of seeking out good, honest characters for his St James' Park dressing room - and question marks certainly linger over whether Jadon Sancho would fit into that category. A major fallout with Erik ten Hag means he is now at a crossroads in his Manchester United career, and as such, I would be avoiding a risky move for his services this summer, despite his obvious talent.

The winger's recent performances in Germany show there is still life in his playing career yet and Howe has previous when it comes to drastically improving the fortunes of underperforming talent. With that in mind, some may be quietly hopeful Newcastle join the queue for a potential £40m move this summer.

But finding an upgrade on the right of Newcastle's attack is the main priority this summer and risks should be avoided if possible. With funds tight as they are, £40m is a big outlay to be gambling on a player who may not be able to settle or perform on Tyneside. There are slightly less risky options, who would cost a tad more, in the form of Bryan Mbeumo, Jarrod Bowen, Pedro Neto and Michael Olise who I would be targeting instead.

Andrew Musgrove

Jadon Sancho is clearly a very talented player and looking from the outside in, it does look like he was slightly made to be a scapegoat at Man United under Erik ten Hag - even though there did seem to be some attitude issues. We've seen Eddie Howe turn the careers around of players deemed out of form - look at Joelinton, and we've also seen the Newcastle manager quash fears from supporters of a player with so called attitude issues, look at Anthony Gordon.

So I've no doubt that if Sancho did arrive at Newcastle United, Howe would get him ticking. But I think it's a largely pointless question - firstly, Sancho is on a reported £300,000 per-week, and the Magpies wouldn't pay an extra £60,000 for Tosin. Secondly, ten Hag looks set to get the boot at Man United and I think any new manager coming in would want to take a look at Sancho before moving him on. Would I take him if there were no obstacles? Yes, but it's not going to happen.

Stuart Jamieson

On paper, Sancho ticks a lot of boxes for Newcastle. He's young, pacy, has Premier League experience and can play on either flank or even in a No 10 role. He's also said to be available at a price which wouldn't break the Magpies' summer budget.

And yet something doesn't feel quite right. In the two full seasons he spent at Manchester United before last term's loan back to Borussia Dortmund, he started only around half of their Premier League games, which for me, rings alarm bells. His public falling out with Erik ten Hag didn't help, of course, and he refound his form back in Germany, but it feels like a gamble Newcastle don't need to take.

He is young enough to start again somewhere and he may yet rekindle his career in the Premier League, but the Magpies don't need to take risks this summer and would be better targetting the likes of Michael Olise or Pedro Neto.