Former Liverpool FC defender advises Jadon Sancho against Manchester United transfer

Jadon Sancho is the subject of a transfer battle from some of Europe's biggest football clubs.

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has insisted if Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho was to seal a move to Manchester United this summer it would be a "disaster for his career."

The England international, who is only 19, has developed into one of the brightest young talents in football over the past year or so, leading to some of football's biggest clubs looking to try and secure his signature.

Among those clubs are United, who are understood to have been tracking Sancho's development closely. As well as the Old Trafford club showing an interest in the former Manchester City youngster, it is thought that United's Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool are also keen on bringing him back to England.

Former England defender Johnson has issued a stern warning to Sancho, urging him to join either Chelsea or Liverpool over United, claiming that a move to Old Trafford would be the "wrong decision."

Johnson told talkSPORT: "Pretty much everyone that can afford his transfer fee are going to want him, so he can take his time to choose his next club.

"But I think it would be the wrong decision to sign for Man United.

"If he goes to a team like United at the moment, of course it’s a fantastic club and it would look great on his CV, but the team are not where they should be and I think as a young kid they would put too much pressure on him from day one.

"A young lad like that shouldn’t have to fly the flag for a club like United. I think he’d feel the pressure coming to the Premier League anywhere, so to carry that with him as well would be tough.

" Marcus Rashford is flying the flag for them now and his body is feeling the punishment. With young kids you’ve got to be careful because some of them are still growing.

"If he was to go to Chelsea or Liverpool or maybe a club in Spain, because he won’t be needed to come straight in and impress, they would bleed him into the team over time which would help his development. He might not be guaranteed to start every week, but he’d be doing it in the right way.

"Whereas if he went to United, yes he’d start every week but the team are struggling so it would be hard for him to find his feet."

United are in need of bolstering their squad more than Liverpool right now. The runaway Premier League leaders are 22 points clear at the summit and have a squad that looks capable of smashing every record you could ever imagine between now and the end of the season.

Despite Jurgen Klopp's current team looking in brilliant shape, Johnson still believes Sancho would be better suited making the switch to Anfield, even though he may not necessarily be guaranteed a start every week.

The former Portsmouth defender continued: "It [a move to Liverpool] might not be the best decision for him today, at the moment they’ve got the perfect side, but in two years’ time he could be well amongst it. He’d still only be 21.

"I’m not suggesting he’d stall his career for two years, I’d expect him to be knocking on the door and obviously it just takes one injury [for him to get a chance].

"But Liverpool’s foundations are set in stone and I just think they’d bleed him into the team in the right manner."

Though Liverpool may look the most lucrative offer Sancho may have right now in the Premier League, Johnson still believes that Chelsea would still be a better option than United, with him suggesting that Chelsea are a club on the way up, opposed to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

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Johnson added: “Lamps [Frank Lampard] would definitely look after him at Chelsea, and then they're the attraction of London.

“While Manchester United are sliding down, Chelsea are on their way up with loads of young players and I could see that being a perfect fit for him.

“To have too many youngsters when the team is going down is not a good thing, but put the youngsters into a team that’s flourishing, on its way up and positive, then it’s going to be easier for them to perform.

“There would be pressure on Jadon from day one if he goes to United.”