Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster has issued a stark warning to Jadon Sancho about his future at the club.
Sancho, who joined Borussia Dortmund on loan for the second half of the season, has been showing the form that led United to pay £73million for him in 2021. The 24-year-old was instrumental in Dortmund's Champions League semi-final victory over PSG, setting up a final clash with Real Madrid.
However, his future beyond the Wembley date remains uncertain. There have been reports that Sancho wouldn't want to return to Old Trafford even if Erik ten Hag is sacked, and Foster doesn't see a comeback happening.
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."
Foster, who spent five years at Old Trafford early in his career, opened up about the immense pressure of donning the Red Devils' shirt, suggesting that only a few players like Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martinez and Rasmus Hojlund have truly coped with it in recent times.
Discussing the topic with co-host Tom Ochoa, Foster reflected on his own experiences under Sir Alex Ferguson, saying: "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."
He recalled the daunting feeling of playing for such a prestigious club, adding: "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."
Foster also gave his take on Sancho's situation, predicting a tough time for the winger if he were to return to the United line-up next season after a stint elsewhere.
He asserted: "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 concluded with a stark observation about the weight of expectations at United. "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," he said.
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