"I care about him and want him to do well" – Rio Ferdinand demands 'clarity' on player Manchester United 'need' right now

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has demanded answers from his former club concerning Jadon Sancho's long absence.

Sancho, 22, has failed to justify his high fee since arriving from Borussia Dortmund for £73 million in the summer of 2021. Operating primarily on the left-flank at Old Trafford, he has scored just eight goals and contributed four assists in 52 matches across all competitions.

A technical dribbler blessed with flair and passing, the England international has missed Manchester United's last nine games, stretching back to October. He has been training away from his club teammates, with Erik ten Hag recently claiming that the right-footed winger is not in the right state to resume his first-team duties.

Speaking on Vibe with Five YouTube channel, Ferdinand asserted that Sancho's absence is a concern for the club. He said:

"Sancho is an interesting one. He's gone away and he's doing personal training somewhere. I don't know what's happened or what's behind all this. I don't know. Is he not fit or is it mental? What are they seeing at United? It would be nice to get that clarity."

Sharing his thoughts on the forward, Ferdinand continued:

"Listen, he is a south London boy so I care about him and want him to do well. But he hasn't hit the ground running at United, for whatever reason. United actually need him right now, they need another player because the depth on the bench isn't great."

Backing him to bounce back to old form, Ferdinand added:

"Sancho would add to that squad depth but he needs to come back and be the Sancho we saw at Dortmund, the Sancho that got people off their seats. I watched an old video of Sancho the other day and he was tearing it up against Barcelona at the Camp Nou. That's the Sancho I expected to see at United."

Sancho has scored three goals and laid out just one assist in 14 overall games for Manchester United in the ongoing season.

Manchester United interested in move to sign 25-year-old Ligue 1 star: Reports

According to Media Foot, Manchester United have approached Rennes ace Martin Terrier's agent to discuss a potential transfer in January. The Red Devils are currently assessing the conditions for a permanent move along with the former Lyon forward's salary expectations.

In the winter window, Tottenham Hotspur are also keen to acquire the services of Terrier, who has a contract at Roazhon Park until June 2026.

Meanwhile, Terrier has opened the ongoing 2022-23 campaign in fine form. He has netted 11 goals and contributed five assists in 21 appearances across all competitions for Rennes.