Roy Keane is a fan of Jadon Sancho but has strongly shrugged off suggestions that Manchester United made a mistake by sending him to Chelsea in the summer. Sancho left for Stamford Bridge on a season-long loan on deadline day and is set to join permanently for around £25million at the end of the campaign.
Erik ten Hag sanctioned the 24-year-old's exit despite the pair reconciling after their public row that led to a four-month banishment from first-team training.
And Sancho is enjoying life back home in London, supporting Enzo Maresca's unexpected Premier League title challenge with consistent performances.
He has contributed two goals and five assists in eight starts across the Premier League and UEFA Conference League since joining the Blues.
Chelsea are almost guaranteed a top-14 league finish, which would trigger an obligation to buy Sancho in a deal that suits all parties.
Sancho has continued his resurgence, having shown signs of his former exciting self on loan at Borussia Dortmund - where he left for United in a £73m transfer in 2021 - in the second half of last season.
However, Keane has poured cold water on reactionary claims that the Red Devils were wrong to offload him, insisting different players suit some clubs more than others.
"I think Sancho's definitely got something," the former United captain explained on Thursday's episode of The Overlap.
"But I also look at some lads go to other clubs from United, and they'll do well, and people go, 'Well, we shouldn't have [sold them]'.
"No, you're doing alright because that club's a better fit for you. We all know sometimes it's timing for a player.
"I'm not saying Sancho's the answer to come back to Man United. Maybe Chelsea's a good fit for him.
"He likes it in London, whatever it might be, the manager down there, who knows? So I'm not saying that you'd get Sancho back in a hurry."
Gary Neville followed it up by questioning whether Marcus Rashford would have been inspired by Sancho and other ex-United players' success after walking away from Old Trafford.
On Monday, Rashford revealed that he was ready for a new challenge, strongly hinting at his plans to leave his boyhood club after 20 years.
"Of course. Obviously, that's the way he is thinking," Keane agreed.
The 27-year-old forward could depart as early as January if suitable offers arrive, which would mark a ground-shaking landmark in Ineos' ruthless rebuild.