Paul Parker fears Jadon Sancho will forever be known as the footballer who failed at Manchester United.
Sancho has joined Chelsea on a season-long loan before making the move permanent in a £20m deal next summer. The England international saw his £70m switch from Borussia Dortmund to United turn into a nightmare.
He had a public bust-up with United boss Erik ten Hag last season and was banned from training with the team. He refused to apologise and was sent back to Dortmund on loan.
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He then returned to United this summer and appeared to have settled his differences with Ten Hag. But the Dutchman allowed him to join Chelsea in the last transfer window.
And former United favourite Parker is convinced Sancho’s problems at United will tarnish his reputation for a long time to come. He said: “All that will happen in his career now is that people will always want to talk about him and Manchester United in a negative way.
(Image: PA)
“It’s not what you want. You play football to get your ego massaged and the adulation. He hasn’t got that right now, because he’s put himself in the position of being remembered as this kid who felt abused by Manchester United.
“Whatever he does, in 20 years’ time, people will ask him what went on at Manchester United. Hopefully he’ll look in the mirror and say to himself, ‘I got it wrong’.
“Every club has got one of these stories. They have a player that doesn’t fit in. But you can’t be bitter and twisted. Surely he won’t want to be.”
Parker reckons Sancho was never the right signing for United in the first place. But believes Chelsea will deserve a lot of credit if they can get the best out of him.
Parker added: “When it came out that United wanted to sign him, my son turned to me and said, ‘Sad, he isn’t going to work at United. He’s not their kind of player’.
“And he was right. You read the stories about why Manchester City and Dortmund let him go. If Chelsea can get his head right and turn him into a player, we have to commend them.”
To read or listen to the full interview, go to https://vegas.williamhill.com/