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Football analysis supercomputer Machine Football still rates Sancho’s dribbling skills highly, putting him in the top 1.1% of players globally.

And at 26, with no transfer fee and an estimated market value of just over £24m, he is a good fit with Unai Emery’s 4-2-3-1 system, which Machine Football profiles as built on possession retention and controlled ball progression.

However, the data raises a genuine concern over chemistry. The model projects a low score on cohesion with star striker Ollie Watkins, giving their connection a rating of just 16 out of 100.

For an attacking player whose effectiveness often depends on timing and combinations with a central striker, that is a number worth watching. On a free transfer, the risk is manageable, but the Watkins partnership will need attention.

Supercomputer Machine Football analyses billions of bits of football data to predict player performance, transfers and match outcomes.