£73m Manchester United player should really have joined Liverpool back in 2021

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Liverpool’s recruitment stategy over the Jurgen Klopp years has often been held up as an example for other top teams to follow.

Time and time again the Reds have turned a slightly underwhelming signing on paper into a quite brilliant addition in reality.

But as well as homing in on who to sign, Liverpool have done well in choosing who not to sign. For example, even as recently as this summer, the Reds missed out on Romeo Lavia and Mosies Caciedo in what has so far proven to be a couple of bullets dodged.

It’s early days for both and Chelsea and it should be said that Liverpool did want both players. But nevertheless, more often than not things go well for them in the market.

Another of those good decisions has appeared to be leaving Jadon Sancho for Manchester United back in 2021. There were plenty of rumours linking Liverpool with Sancho at the time, and even claims from the player himself that his Reds-based England teammates had tried to get him to join them at Anfield [Liverpool ECHO].

In the end though, the then 21-year-old headed to Old Trafford for £73m. Two-and-a-half years on, things have turned sour for Sancho. According to Fabrizio Romano, he’s set to seal a loan return to Borussia Dortmund. Another good decision for Liverpool to avoid him then? Well, in all honesty, no. We’re still rueing this one.

Sancho left with Liverpool regret

We actually think that had Sancho joined Liverpool, not United back in 2021, he’d now be one of the very best forwards in the world.

With turmoil at Old Trafford, the Red Devils haven’t been in a good place ever since he joined. Last year was slightly better for them. But clearly not in Erik ten Hag’s favour, Sancho has never really found his place.

It’s hard to imagine that being the case at Liverpool. Pegged as a potential Sadio Mane replacement, the England international could have taken over from Mane and would now be first-choice on the Reds left.

Joining six months before Luis Diaz eventually did, Sancho’s arrival would have meant Diaz probably went to Tottenham Hotspur instead.

Of course, this is all mere daydreaming. No one can know for sure how Jadon would have fared coming from Dortmund to Liverpool. But under Klopp and with a functioning system around him – and big characters to take him under their wing – we think he’d have thrived.

Still only 23, it seems likely that Sancho may eventually head back to Dortmund on a permanent basis. If that does end up happening, then perhaps we should be keeping an eye on his progress.

Obviously, once he moved to United, it seemed like Liverpool’s chances of ever getting Sancho were over. But with things having gone so poorly for him in Manchester, maybe the Reds will get a reprieve. Signing him from Dortmund wouldn’t seem so out of the question.

At the time it felt like Liverpool were making a mistake allowing United a free run at Sancho. In the years since that notion has become almost laughable. But there is an alternate reality where the former City youngster joins the Reds and turns into the player he should have become. Perhaps there’s still time for that reality to become this one.