Where are they now? The 4 players Man Utd signed alongside Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho has officially rejoined Borussia Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the season, but what happened to the other four players Manchester United signed alongside him back in 2021-22?
It’s fair to say that Sancho’s spell at Old Trafford has been underwhelming. The 23-year-old struggled to showcase his best form in the Premier League and following his bust-up with Erik ten Hag, is now heading out on loan.
There’s certainly an argument to be made that United never really played to Sancho’s strengths, but the winger will no doubt be disappointed with how his stint at United has gone.
The club paid around £73million to bring him to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021, although he wasn’t the only big name who arrived in Manchester during that transfer window.
We’ve taken a closer look at the four players United signed alongside Sancho and have checked out what they are all up these days.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese superstar somewhat stole the limelight from Sancho upon his arrival in 2021 as this transfer sent shockwaves throughout the Premier League.
While Ronaldo’s goalscoring instincts still looked sharp upon his return, it didn’t take long until things went pear-shaped between him and Ten Hag.
The drama surrounding Ronaldo hit boiling point during his second season with the club and following that interview with Piers Morgan, he was let go.
It’s fair to say that he’s done alright for himself since. Ronaldo is now the highest-paid footballer in the world and finished the calendar year of 2023 with a record 54 goals. He can’t stop scoring for Al-Nassr right now.
READ: The top 10 goalscorers across world football in 2023: Ronaldo above Kane & Mbappe…
Raphael Varane
Expectation levels were high upon Varane’s arrival from Real Madrid as United splashed around £40million on the French defender.
Since his arrival, Varane has been one of the best defenders at the club, although he has missed a fair share of matches through injury. In total, the Frenchman has missed 39 matches through injury since he joined the club in 2021.
The speculation surrounding Varane’s long-term future is currently up in the air as the club is still pondering a potential contract extension.
Paul McShane
The experienced defender joined United in the summer of 2021 as a player-coach. He never got a look-in with the senior squad, but did rack up some appearances for the club’s U23s.
McShane called it quits on his playing career at the end of the 2021-22 campaign in order to focus on his coaching role. He still works at the club today as the Professional Development Phase coach.
Alongside his role with United, McShane also works as an assistant coach in the Republic of Ireland U21s set-up.
Tom Heaton
The experienced shot-stopper joined United’s ranks in 2021 to provide some more depth in the goalkeeper department. Heaton has often been the third-choice during his spell with the club, although he has been handed a few first-team opportunities.
He managed two appearances in the League Cup last season and his experience will no doubt be handy to some of the younger players in the squad.
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