Sancho isn’t struggling, insists Shaw as he backs Man Utd team-mate to go ‘right to the very top’

October 7, 2021

The Red Devils star has expressed his belief that a big-money summer signing has been lacking a ‘bit of luck’ at the start of his Old Trafford career

Luke Shaw has insisted that Jadon Sancho isn’t struggling at Manchester United while backing his team-mate to go “right to the very top”.

Sancho completed a long-awaited £73 million ($100m) switch to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund in July, committing to a five-year contract with the option of an extra year.

The 21-year-old has been unable to hit the ground running at United, though, failing to record a goal or assist in his first eight appearances, and questions are now being asked over whether he has the mettle to succeed in the Premier League.

Sancho completed a long-awaited £73 million ($100m) switch to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund in July, committing to a five-year contract with the option of an extra year.

The 21-year-old has been unable to hit the ground running at United, though, failing to record a goal or assist in his first eight appearances, and questions are now being asked over whether he has the mettle to succeed in the Premier League.

Ronaldo already ‘setting standards’ at Old Trafford

One man who has had a huge impact since joining United in the summer is Cristiano Ronaldo, who returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in a £20m ($27m) deal on deadline day.

The Portuguese was a talismanic figure during his first spell at the club between 2003 and 2009, and has scored five goals in his first six outings for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this term, with Shaw left in awe by how dedicated he is to his craft.

“He’s definitely raised the levels,” he said of Ronaldo. “I think there’s no question why he’s been one of the best players in the world over the last 10 years. The way he conducts himself, the standards he sets, and his mentality is one of the best I’ve ever witnessed.

“It’s only good for us as team-mates to be surrounded by someone like that, who will only raise the bar. We need to follow that. Everywhere he goes, he wins, and the standards he sets are so high. We need to equal those standards and push in the right direction with him as a team.

“I haven’t had to mark him yet [in training]. But he’s very sharp, always in the right position to score the goals, and his movement is one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s no surprise he’s still scoring goals and has been for many years because he’s always in the right place at the right time. That’s a sign of a world-class player.”