Ange Postecoglou's summer rebuild at Tottenham Hotspur looks to be getting underway, with various reports suggesting that the Lilywhites are now closing in on a deal for Brentford's David Raya.
That impending arrival comes as part of what could be a sizeable squad shake-up at N17 over the coming weeks and months, with Postecoglou set to oversee something of a mass clearout ahead of next season, amid the prospect of a host of notable departures.
With regard to those who could follow Raya in bolstering the squad, the Daily Star recently reported that the north London outfit are considering making a £50m move for Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho, albeit with the Red Devils set to demand close to £60m if they are to part ways.
This follows a previous report from the Guardian that claimed the Englishman's place at Old Trafford is now 'under threat' due to his lack of impact in recent seasons, while Manchester Evening News has revealed that United boss Erik ten Hag is said to be growing 'increasingly impatient' with the former Borussia Dortmund ace.
Having been signed for £73m back in the summer of 2021, the 23-year-old has since gone on to score just 12 goals and provide only six assists in 79 games in all competitions, with those woes notably seeing the winger miss out on a place in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad last year.
That seemingly paints a picture of a player who is simply struggling to perform at present, although Postecoglou and co may be hoping that they can coax the best out of a talent who previously caught the attention during his stint in Germany…
Should Tottenham sign Sancho?
It is easy to forget – amid his current woes – that Sancho was once earning rave reviews due to his consistently stellar displays at Dortmund, having notably been hailed as the "perfect player" by German legend, Lothar Matthaus back in 2018.
Also lauded as "superb" by Bayern Munich star, Thomas Muller, the former Manchester City starlet certainly made his mark in the Bundesliga, having ultimately racked up 114 goals and assists in just 137 games in all competitions while plying his trade at Westfalenstadion.
The aim will be for the 23-cap trickster to try and get back to those heights if he is to make the leap and join Postecoglou's side this summer, with it potentially set to prove a notable coup if the Greek-Aussie can get Sancho fit and firing again.
The wide man's ability to perform at the elite level may also be shown by the fact that he is said to share a number of statistical and stylistic similarities with compatriot, Jack Grealish – according to FBref – with the latter man only recently playing his part in City's remarkable treble-winning campaign.
That likeness between the two wingers – who both operate typically off the left flank – is shown by the fact that the pair can both glide forward with the ball at their feet to devastating effect, with Grealish ranking in the top 3% for progressive carries among his European peers, while Sancho ranks in the top 13% in that regard.
Equally, the two men are also alike due to their ability to impact proceedings in the final third, with the latter man ranking in the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area, while the City ace ranks in the top 10% in that regard.
The former Aston Villa man is evidently still riding high following that glittering campaign – as his recent celebration antics would suggest – having notably played a vital role in that glorious success after providing five goals and 11 assists in 50 games in all competitions.
It would then, therefore, be a wise move for Postecoglou to land his own version of the "unplayable" ace – as described by pundit Rio Ferdinand – with the signing of Sancho, with the United man perhaps just in need of a change of scenery in order to get back to his best.
