Harry Maguire Backs $101M Forward To Be A 'Real Star' At Manchester United

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire says Jadon Sancho can become a "real star" at Old Trafford ahead of the 2021-22 season.

After failing to secure Sancho last summer from Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United finally sealed a $101 million deal for the Englishman in the 2021 summer market.

England defender Maguire, who recently played alongside Sancho at the Euros 2020, heaped praise on his young teammate, calling him an exceptional talent.

"I think he's been linked with us for a couple of seasons now and it felt a bit like my transfer when I was joining Manchester United, where it didn't happen one season but the following season we managed to get it over the line. I'm really excited for him, he's an exceptional talent. He's the type of player – with the confidence he has – who can be a real star for this club and I feel like in the future and the success we have, he can have a big part to play," Maguire told Sky Sports.

Sancho is coming off an exceptional season with Dortmund, where he netted 16 goals and provided 20 assists in 38 competitive appearances for the Bundesliga club. He, along with Erling Haaland, helped Dortmund win the domestic title DFB Pokal. With six goals in as many matches, Sancho top-scored in the competition, while also providing five assists.

Though Manchester United went trophy-less in 2020-21, Maguire believes it is time the Red Devils begin to win the silverware once again. The last trophy the Old Trafford side won was the 2017 Europa League.

Last season, Manchester United finished second in the Premier League, 12 points behind winners Manchester City. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side also lost the Europa League final to Villarreal.

"We've got to improve on last season and we'll aim to do that. We've made progress in terms of what we've done as a club and who we can compete against - the top teams around the world – and that's where we're at now. Of course, this is the time when we need to start delivering. We need to start winning trophies because we've proved over the past couple of years that we can be competitive again," added Maguire.

Along with Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba, Sancho is expected to further strengthen Manchester United's attack. Former Red Devils star Rio Ferdinand had also insisted that Sancho could resolve the issues in Manchester United's attack.