Man United face Jadon Sancho transfer scenario repeat in worrying development

Manchester United are running the risk of losing a highly-touted wonderkid to the Bundesliga, but they should learn by Manchester City's mistake of letting Jadon Sancho leave on the cheap

Manchester United would be wise to learn from City's mistakes in letting a young talent leave for Germany on the cheap.

JJ Gabriel has already started catching the eyes of clubs far and wide due to his spectacular performances at academy level for United. At just 14, it is reported that a number of German clubs have made their interest in the forward known.

As per the Sun, a source said: "The success of the likes of [Jude] Bellingham and [Jadon] Sancho in Germany is a big selling point for German clubs trying to poach some of the Premier League’s best young talents. They can offer them first team football at an earlier age than a lot of clubs in the UK."

If recent history has taught football fans anything, it's that it isn't unusual for Bundesliga clubs to snap up players in their younger years to develop them abroad. For example, Jude Bellingham joined Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City at the tender age of 17 in 2020, hitting his prime after three years at the Signal Iduna Park leading to Real Madrid snapping him up in a deal which could reach as steep as £115million.

This summer, his younger brother, Jobe Bellingham, followed in his footsteps by also making the move to Dortmund from a newly-promoted Sunderland AFC in a £27.8m deal, with hopes of also finding success at the highest level. And while Manchester United would receive a fee for allowing Gabriel - who has been dubbed 'Kid Messi' - to join a Bundesliga side, they also run the risk of missing out on a fortune down the line if he realises his potential.

That was, of course, the case for Manchester City who allowed Jadon Sancho to join Dortmund in 2017 at the age of 17 for around £8m. Unproven at senior level at the time, Sancho quickly developed with Die Schwarzgelben, scoring 37 goals and providing 47 assists in the Bundesliga between 2017 and 2021, before he was snapped up by Manchester United in a £73m move.

Of course, that fee could have gone to the Cityzens had they continued to nurture Sancho in the same vein, and will have come as a massive sting considering the now 25-year-old was a homegrown talent. And despite the England international suffering a turbulent tenure at Old Trafford in the years since, the sentiment still stands that they would be wise not to allow Gabriel to leave for a fraction of his future value.

The youngster is contracted with United until the end of next season, and has impressed since being promoted to the Under-18s. Meanwhile, the teenager has also met with Ruben Amorim and could spend portions of this season training with his first-team squad.

It comes as Sancho is currently enjoying his second season-long loan in as many years after struggling to make a mark with United. The winger found himself as part of Chelsea's squad last term in a somewhat fruitful move, despite the Blues ultimately coughing up a £5m penalty instead of committing to their £25m obligation to buy based on finishing higher than 14th in the Premier League standings.

With no place in Amorim's plans upon his return this summer, Sancho was subsequently loaned out once more to Aston Villa, where he has since made his debut in the club's Carabao Cup exit to Brentford on Tuesday. While Sancho is into the last 12 months of his contract with United, the club has the option to extend his deal by a year to prevent him leaving the club as a free agent next summer.

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