Ben Foster reckons it won't ever work for Jadon Sancho at Manchester United due to the "weight of the badge" that only some can carry.
Sancho has seemed to rediscover his best form back on loan at Borussia Dortmund, putting in the sort of performances that saw United fork out £73million to sign him from the Bundesliga club in 2021.
The 24-year-old impressed in both legs of Dortmund's Champions League semi-final triumph over PSG, progressing to the final where they'll face Real Madrid. His future past that date at Wembley remains uncertain.
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There have been conflicting reports about whether he would want to return to Old Trafford, even if Erik ten Hag is sacked. And former Red Devils goalkeeper Foster can't see him making the comeback.
Speaking on his podcast Fozcast, he said: "There is certainly players that won’t fit in some clubs. And I think Manchester United, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think it is the toughest club to play for in world football.
"I think that badge, as soon as you’ve got it on, is so heavy, it weighs so much that you could be technically gifted, you could be whatever, you can be world class, Jadon Sancho, but it won’t work for you. You put him in a Manchester United shirt, I promise you it just will not work for you."
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AmazonHe and co-host Tom Ochoa then discussed who has been able to withstand the pressure that playing for United brings in recent years, mentioning Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martinez and Rasmus Hojlund, but struggling to advance beyond those three names.
Foster explained how he felt playing for Sir Alex Ferguson's side early in his career, adding: "Once they’ve signed for Manchester United, you either sink or you kind of swim. That badge is like it’s the heaviest it’s ever been as well.
"I remember when I was there, genuinely it was scary. I was going into games thinking ‘please just don’t mess this up, I know I’ve got the watching world waiting for me to fail, they want me to fail’. The toll it takes on you is phenomenal."
He went on to double down on his verdict on Sancho, believing he'd be right back to square one if he was reintegrated into the United side next season.
"If Jadon Sancho put that performance in for Borussia Dortmund yesterday, then he had a game for Manchester United in two days’ time, I promise you he would be a shell of a player," Foster added.
"He wouldn’t be the same player because as soon as you put that Manchester United shirt on, you realise that there’s expectation. And that is what gets in people’s heads."
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