Rio Ferdinand says Jadon Sancho has the ‘arrogance’ to inherit the number 7 if he signs for Manchester United.

United have been interested in signing Sancho, 20, since he was looking to leave Manchester City in 2017 and shortlisted him as an attacking priority ahead of the next transfer window.

Sancho is about to enter the last two years of his Borussia Dortmund contract and is understood to have expressed a desire to return to Manchester.

The number seven has become cursed at United once Christiano Ronaldo left in 2009. Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia, Angel Di Maria, Memphis Delay and Alexis Sanchez all flunked at United but Ferdinand is confident Sancho would be worthy of the club’s most famous squad number.

United wanted to sign Sancho from City in 2017 but their rivals resisted any offers from English clubs and Sancho joined Dortmund.