Former Manchester United defensive great and football pundit Rio Ferdinand holds the opinion that English winger Jadon Sancho is more suited to international football than the Premier League.

Ever since he signed for the Red Devils from Borussia Dortmund after lengthy negotiations last year, Sancho has blown hot and cold. This season, he has scored three goals in eight appearances and questions continue to be asked surrounding his form in the big leagues especially given that United paid a whopping £73m to sign him from Germany.

Following a difficult maiden season at Old Trafford where he had to play under two managers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, Sancho is now hoping for continuity and stability from new manager Erik ten Hag who has himself suffered from a terrible beginning to the season but is slowly managing to turn things around.

As a result of Sancho’s inconsistent form, England manager Gareth Southgate ignored him while picking the international squad for England’s UEFA Nations League matches during the international break this month.

Despite failing to open his account in the Premier League so far this season, West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen was picked in the squad ahead of Sancho. Football pundit Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, was taken aback by decision and the former Red Devils centre-back believes that Sancho is better suited to succeed in international games rather than the Premier League with United.

When asked whether he would have called up Sancho, speaking on his Vibe with FIVE podcast, Ferdinand said: “Yeah I would have, given what he’s done at the start of the season.

“Sancho probably suits international football more than the Premier League maybe, given the way he plays. I don’t know [why Southgate hasn’t picked him].”

After being rejected by Southgate in his latest squad for the Nations League fixtures, the 22-year-old will face the test of time to change the mind of his national team coach. With the FIFA World Cup in Qatar barely two months away, Sancho will be hoping to make his way into the final list of players.

England have been largely impaired in front of the goal and have failed to find the back of the net in several fixtures. With criticism mounting on Southgate and the lack of proficiency in the final third, he could change his mind and recall Sancho to the England squad going forward.