Jadon Sancho is 'here to play now' insists Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand insists Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho is thriving with regular starts now that he is no longer competing with Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial.

The England midfielder joined United from Borussia Dortmund last summer in a deal worth £73million and he struggled to adapt to life at Old Trafford, but he has now become an influential figure under Ralf Rangnick.

Sancho continued his upturn in displays with a fine performance in United’s 4-2 win against Leeds on Sunday, supplying two assists at Elland Road.

Former Red Devils defender Ferdinand believes the 21-year-old's good form is partly down to be given regular starts with Anthony Martial heading out on loan to Spanish side Sevilla and Mason Greenwood unavailable. 

‘For someone like Sancho, who has been searching for a bit of form and consistency, the fact that Mason Greenwood is no longer available and Martial is no longer available,' Ferdinand said on Vibe With Five Podcast. 

‘There is not that big threat that i’m probably not going to play next week or he’s got a chance to play somebody else.

‘He might have been told behind the scenes, I would argue he probably has been told, you’re going to play now, you’re going to start every game.

‘Go make it your own shirt, that confidence lift and shift from looking over his shoulder to no i’m here to play is a big difference.

‘I think that is now why we’re seeing what we’re seeing from Sancho right now.’ 

The former centre-back believes Sancho was always going to take time to adapt to the Premier League from the Bundesliga.

‘Adaptation to this league is very different, you watch German football, especially when he was (at Dortmund) the transition when he had to react to when his team lost the ball and