TEDDY SHERINGHAM says Manchester United need a world-class signing — but not Jadon Sancho.
The former United and Spurs star believes bringing in a top-class centre-forward or centre-back — or preferably both — should be the priority at Old Trafford.
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Manchester United should not be prioritising a move for Jadon Sancho, according to Teddy SheringhamCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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Red Devils legend Teddy Sheringham believes his old club need a centre-back and a centre-forwardCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Sheringham said: “I’m not sure that Sancho is the answer to what Manchester United need at the moment.
“They’ve got tricky wingers. They’ve got flying players. If anything, they still need players down the spine of the team.
“If they are going to be a top team, they need a top centre- forward and another top centre-half to play alongside Maguire.
“You look at Liverpool and the signings they have made, Thiago and Jota. They are fantastic acquisitions, to make them even better than they were last year.
“Have Man Utd done that? I don’t think so.”
And Sheringham knows from experience that big-name transfers can have not only a direct effect on a team, but can also have an indirect impact on an entire club.
Sheringham said: “I go back to when Jurgen Klinsmann came to Tottenham.
“He was the biggest lift I’ve ever known at a football club.
They’ve got tricky wingers. They’ve got flying players. If anything, they still need players down the spine of the team.
Teddy Sheringham on Jadon Sancho
“Around that time, Ossie Ardiles was the manager and he actually told me he was thinking about signing Maradona. I was like, ‘Wow, Ossie, let’s do it’.
“About ten days later he came to me and said, ‘Look, I’m not going to sign Maradona. There’s too much baggage with him. But I think you’ll like his replacement — Jurgen Klinsmann.’
“I was blown away by his name and by the way he came in and trained and played and lifted the whole club.”
Sheringham believes the second coming of Gareth Bale at Tottenham is already having a similar impact, even before the Welshman has kicked a ball for the club.
The former England striker, who had two spells at Spurs, said: “I can’t think of a better signing, apart from Lionel Messi, that Tottenham could have made to make them a better team all round.
“I think he’s already lifted everybody just by being at the club. When he starts playing, it will be even better.
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Jurgen Klinsmann’s arrival at Tottenham lifted the whole clubCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“That presence of a top player again, on the pitch, just gives you so much. It gives other people a bit more space.
“When Bale plays, there’s going to be a defender on him plus a midfield player looking out for him, plus the winger, and that gives other people space on the pitch.
“He might not play 50 games out of 50 for Tottenham. But the 30 games that he will play, I think he’ll be a great acquisition. A fantastic signing.”
But Sheringham says the jury is still very much out on whether Jose Mourinho is the right man to take Spurs forward.
He believes that if Mourinho can win a trophy and/or take Tottenham back into the Champions League, supporters will tolerate the team playing less attractive football.
He said: “I know they were very good in the League Cup against Chelsea but that’s the first time I’ve seen it from a Tottenham team under Jose, I think.
“I think he still needs to prove to everyone in the Tottenham camp, to the supporters, that he can get back to when he first came over and was managing Chelsea.
“Winning would be enough, right this minute.
I think he still needs to prove to everyone in the Tottenham camp, to the supporters, that he can get back to when he first came over and was managing Chelsea.
Teddy Sherringham on Jose Mourinho
“I know a lot of Tottenham supporters and I think they would take a George Graham sort of 1-0, 1-0, 1-0, to take them to cup finals and win the cup finals, or even better than that, to get you up the league.
“He’s been brought in because Daniel Levy’s thinking on the matter is, ‘Sod all this fancy football and not winning anything, we need to start competing and winning stuff’.
“Hopefully that’s the reaction you are going to get from Jose and his players.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Sheringham’s old United team-mate and fellow 1999 European Cup Final goalscorer, is also under pressure to take United forward.
Sheringham said: “He’s the nicest man I’ve ever met in football. He has a lovely family, lovely wife and two kids.
“I was so surprised to hear that he was going into football management.
“I thought he might be too nice, but I think he’s adapted to it very well.
“He’s still a very young manager so he’s going to make mistakes and he’s going to be naive in certain aspects.
“At the moment, I think he’s doing OK. He has to do better than last season.
“If there is progression in the football club, I think you keep your manager.
“As soon as there isn’t progression, the question marks are going to be out.
“If you’re going to go one better than last year, you’ve got to be winning things and finishing closer to the top teams.”
A big signing would be a big help to Solskjaer. Just not necessarily Sancho.
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