Erik ten Hag needs to solve Manchester United's £119million issue

If ever there was a case study to demonstrate the lack of forward planning at Manchester United, it would be the transfer saga of Jadon Sancho.

Two years ago, he was identified as the top target by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he looked to rejuvenate his attack and finally address a long-term lack of investment on the right wing.

Dortmund named their price of £108million for his services, set a firm deadline and waited as United hesitated and tried to negotiate below the demands of the German club.

READ MORE: How Erik ten Hag's first Manchester United squad could look with signings

They didn't get him.

It's widely accepted that a team doing business on transfer deadline day is one which is poorly run. United ended up signing four players to compliment the previous addition of Donny van de Beek, a player they were offered when his proposed move to Real Madrid fell through.

Of those four deadline day signings, two were wingers. United committed up to £37m on Amad from Atalanta and another £9m on Facundo Pellistri from Penarol. Both had been looked at for a long time, though neither of them would have been signed that summer had the Sancho deal gone through.

Having spent a combined £46m on two teenage right wingers, many fans thought United would be done in that position for the foreseeable future, but by the end of the season, Sancho was back on the radar again.

This time, with a year left on his contract and the worldwide pandemic still affecting revenues, Dortmund were happy to lower their demands.

Sancho signed a five-year contract after a £73m deal was struck. United had effectively saved £35m on the cost of the same player in the space of a year, taking their grand total to £119m spent on three young right wingers.

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