Rio Ferdinand has claimed Jadon Sancho will feel 'like a new signing' for Manchester United after Erik ten Hag reintegrated him back into the first-team fold.
The England international went from October 2022 to February 2023 without featuring in any capacity for the Red Devils and is still awaiting a first start for the club since late last year, but was brought off the bench at the tail-end of 2-0 Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg win over Nottingham Forest a week ago.
Sancho was named on the bench for last Saturday's 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace but Ten Hag opted against introducing him against the Eagles. Ferdinand has revealed he harbours plenty of optimism over Sancho's eventual return to regular first-team football at Old Trafford.
"Jadon Sancho is back in the squad and if he can get back playing to his best it will be like a new signing for the club," the United legend told William Hill. "If you get someone like him, with the talent he has, playing to his best, he’s a threat for any team – his ability to cause defenders problems.
"In the short-term it also makes United a lot more competitive in general. The United bench over the last month hasn’t been at its most strongest so having Sancho back gives Erik ten Hag a new option to turn to in the coming weeks.
"He didn’t come on against Crystal Palace on Saturday, but the manager will be turning to him in the coming weeks so he’ll have the opportunities to build up some form."
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Sancho's lengthy absence stemmed from the fact Ten Hag deemed the winger not in the right state, physically or mentally, to contribute to United's season around the festive period.
The United boss actually discussed the £73million former Borussia Dortmund man following Saturday's victory and confessed he was planning to bring him off the bench, had it not been for Casemiro's red-card.
"He's good," Ten Hag said of Sancho, adding: "We saw last week that he came in and did really well. It was also a pity, but one of the consequences of Casemiro's sending-off is that I couldn’t bring him on because we had to make other subs.
"I planned to bring him on, so that was also a setback for him, but we were very happy with the win over Palace."
Sancho is in contention to be given his first start in four months when United welcome Leeds to Old Trafford on Wednesday night for the first of two league meetings in four days.
Ten Hag's troops travel to Elland Road on Sunday afternoon for another face-off with their old foe.
