Manchester United ended interest in Chelsea-bound Ziyech to focus on Sancho, Maddison and Grealish

Manchester United abandoned interest in Hakim Ziyech as they plot a summer move for Jadon Sancho.

United have been alerted Sancho’s availability at the end of the season and have made the Borussia Dortmund winger a leading target when the transfer window opens.

Ziyech had been another option under consideration – but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opted against making a bid for the Ajax star, who is set to join Chelsea in a £37.8m deal .

Sancho has been United’s dream target for the past 12 months.

In Pictures | Manchester United's summer transfer targets

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But Dortmund’s refusal to sell, combined with the winger’s reluctance to push for a move, ended any hope of landing him last summer.

Now United have been made aware of a change in stance from the German club and are ready to rival a host of Europe’s giants for his signature.

They will be confident of beating Chelsea in any bidding war – with the 19-year-old valued at upwards of £100m. But Sancho’s desire to play in Spain at some point in his career is a potential stumbling block if Barcelona or Real Madrid enter the running.

One boost for Solskjaer is the fact Manchester City failed to insert an ‘anti-United’ clause in the deal that took the teenager to Germany three years ago.

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The Premier League champions tried to ensure Brahim Diaz would not end up at Old Trafford after selling the Spain starlet to Real Madrid last year. They insisted on a 40 percent sell-on fee if he joined any other Manchester club - but there is no such clause Sancho’s deal.

Even still, United are likely to have to break their transfer record – the £89m they paid for Paul Pogba – to bring the England international back to the red half of Manchester.

Sancho is seen as the ideal solution for United’s long-standing problem position on the right of attack.

Solskjaer has had to deploy makeshift options on that side this season, with Dan James, Mason Greenwood and Juan Mata all filling in.

Ziyech was among a host of players identified by United scouts, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz also admired.

But Sancho fits the profile of Solskjaer’s Old Trafford reboot, with the United manager determined to bring in the best young, domestic talent.

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He completed the signings of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka last summer – and is now targeting moves for James Maddison or Jack Grealish.

Birmingham starlet Jude Bellingham is another emerging prospect he’s trying to land.

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward has already paved the way for major business at the end of the season, saying: “Our focus is on bringing in a combination of experience and the best young players with potential to develop further, fusing graduates from our academy with high-quality acquisitions.

“Our recruitment process focuses on analysis and selection of players over the course of a season, with a view to the following summer transfer window.

“As part of the rebuild we see this coming summer as an important opportunity.”

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