Ex-Manchester United Star Names 'Better' Signing Than Jadon Sancho

A Manchester United legend is certain one English Premier League star is a better signing than Jadon Sancho.

The Red Devils are finally close to completing Sancho’s transfer. Ahead of the youngster’s debut at Old Trafford, former Manchester United defender Paul Parker weighed in on the transfer that took more than a year to materialize.

Speaking exclusively on Express Sport, Parker thoroughly analyzed what has been the evident void needed to be filled in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s current squad.

According to Parker, Manchester United should’ve splurged the “Sancho money” on West Ham United’s Declan Rice, a defender whom he also tagged as a “box-to-box” player suited for Solskjaer’s attack.

"There’s a way of just being that defensive player, but then as well there’s another way of being a midfield player who can break into the attacking third," Parker stressed. "[Manchester] United haven’t got that player, so if they’re going to go into the marketplace you have to look at Declan Rice.”

"It’s all about someone young, and if you were to go and spend the Sancho money on him, you would have got someone who is proven in the Premier League,” he continued. “Everyone talks about him and knows about him. Declan Rice, take the dust off of it, is a box-to-box player. You can use that because that’s exactly what it is.”

Parker went on to rave about Rice’s overall game and eagerness to do more.

For the three-time Premier League winner, Rice is ultimately a cut above the rest at this point.

"He’s not just content sitting in there to think he’s doing his job, sideways, square passes and back, dropping into the back four to give it back to a center-half then run off and just get your stats up,” the former England center-back pointed out of Rice. "He actually wants to make things happen on the edge of the box, and the bonus is that he’s willing to run back and recover as well if things were to break down.”

"He’s not already being there waiting and being an extra person at the back,” he added. “He’s willing to do both. So if you’re going to keep it within the shores, you are not going to get anyone better than him at this moment in time."

A host of Premier League clubs are reportedly keeping tabs on Rice, and Chelsea is expected to pursue him this summer.

As per renowned transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel “likes” the 22-year-old. Though it is a “complicated” transfer saga, the Blues are still likely to make a move.