Owen Hargreaves has implored clubs to open their cheque books to sign Chelsea and Manchester United target Jadon Sancho after his stunning display for Borussia Dortmund against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
The England forward, 19, was in excellent form during Tuesday's star-studded last-16, first-leg clash at Signal Iduna Park that was eventually won 2-1 by the hosts courtesy of yet more goals from prolific January signing Erling Haaland either side of a Neymar effort.
Sancho's electric display led to BT Sport pundit Hargreaves drawing comparisons with the Brazilian's memorable Barcelona heyday.
"He played like Neymar in his prime," Hargreaves said after some similarly gushing analysis from fellow summariser Jermaine Jenas.
"That was Jadon today. He plays like Neymar, plays off the cuff. The confidence and the arrogance in a good way he had, he actually embraced the occasion."
Sancho began his footballing education at Watford and later joined Manchester City's youth ranks before opting for a move to Dortmund in 2017, since when he has become a star with 30 goals and 40 assists in 86 senior appearances across all competitions.
He has frequently been linked with a big-money return to English football amid previous reports of a deteriorating relationship with Dortmund, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United frequently mentioned in connection with his signature.
Standard Sport understands that United are confident they have the financial muscle to beat Chelsea - who have already agreed a future deal for Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech - to Sancho, though Frank Lampard will be handed a summer transfer war chest in excess of £150million to offset the disappointment of a barren January window.
And Hargreaves - who built his own reputation in Germany at Bayern Munich before moving to United in 2007 - is evidently in no doubt that such a sizable investment would quickly pay off.
"He was unplayable," he added. "Everybody, get your cheque book out, somebody go sign that kid because he's special."
