Rio Ferdinand questioned why Jadon Sancho has struggled at Manchester United after winger starred in Borussia Dortmund's Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain.
Sancho looked back to his best as Dortmund beat PSG 1-0 in the first leg of their semi-final clash, with the 24-year-old completing the most dribbles in a Champions League game by an Englishman with 12.
In fact, he had completed more dribbles by half-time than he managed in any of his 58 Premier League appearances for United since signing for the club back in 2021. Following a public falling out with Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag, Sancho returned to Dortmund on loan in January.
And Ferdinand felt Sancho's performance against PSG was his best since his first stint at Dortmund, with the United legend questioning why he has been unable to replicate it at Old Trafford.
"He's shaking and baking top players here," Ferdinand told TNT Sports after the game. "He's putting people on the floor, he's making people dance. It was a joke what he did today and we haven't seen this, probably since he was at Dortmund before.
"He isn't just a dribbler, he isn't just somebody who runs and runs past people with pace. He's a footballer who wants to come in and play one-twos, be part of the game and the tempo of that game.
"What I saw today more than anything, which I haven't seen and have been waiting to see, and all Manchester United fans have been waiting to see, I saw cage-football Sancho today. This is the kid that grew up in cages, with that arrogance and that little bit of swagger.
"I've been sitting here saying that it's there but we haven't seen it. He's in a groove. Once someone gets in a groove, we've seen it with different sportsmen in different sports, football, especially, when they're in the groove and the confidence is there, they churn these performances out.
"He will come off this pitch with a high. He will see people going on about him on social media and love it and rightly so. Lap it up." It remains to be seen what the future holds for Sancho, who remained tight-lipped when asked if he will still be at Dortmund next season.
"Who me? I really don't know? I'm just focused on the present right now," he told CBS Sports. "Obviously i came here at 17 and they gave me the opportunity to play professional football so I'm just delighted with all staff and players that welcome me back."
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