While we have all been in awe of Mason Mount and Phil Foden's Premier League brilliance this season, another young English talent is making headlines on the continent for Borussia Dortmund.
It may seem absurd to suggest that Jadon Sancho has gone unnoticed given Manchester United's three attempts to sign him in recent years, but his talent is perhaps underappreciated, with a bias toward Premier League players prevalent.
Dortmund signed Sancho from Manchester City for £8 million in 2017, and their track record of developing young, exciting talent hinted at where the winger's career trajectory might go, but even the most optimistic could not have predicted the extent of his meteoric rise.
Sancho has thrived in Germany since bravely bidding farewell to Manchester City, and his decision to develop with an elite European side will serve as an example for future generations, with Jude Bellingham now following in his footsteps abroad.
Both of those moves have proven to be inspired decisions by both players to move to Dortmund, but while both are reaching dazzling heights, particularly Sancho, it appears that Mount and Foden are ahead of the pack.
Comparisons between Mount, Foden, and Sancho are natural, especially as England prepares for the European Championship, but it's critical to consult the data to analyze all three youngsters in order to draw accurate conclusions.
Despite playing in fewer league games than Mount and Foden, Sancho produced 11 assists in the German top flight, which is more than double the totals of Mount and Foden, who both produced five assists in the Premier League this season.
However, in today's game, it's critical to use Expected Assists (xA) in playmaker analysis because xA is a true reflection of a player's ability to create chances. The metric calculates the likelihood of a given pass resulting in a goal assist.
In layman's terms, regardless of whether the chance is converted or not, xA still rewards players for getting the ball into the recipient.
Given that, Infogol statistics show Sancho has averaged 0.36 xA per game this season, while Mount (0.31) and Foden (0.21) trail the Dortmund star on another crucial metric, demonstrating just how good Sancho truly is.
If modern statistics aren't your thing, Squawka shows that Sancho has averaged three chances per game, but Mount (2.8) and Foden (2.1) trail their countryman once again.
The MEN understands that United are refusing to rule out a move for Sancho after talks with Dortmund fell through last summer, but if they want to compete for silverware next season, they must act quickly and reignite their talks.
Sancho is rumoured to want to move to Old Trafford, and it is critical that United sign him this summer. Chelsea has Mount, City has Foden and United is in need of Sancho
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