Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho is struggling to revive his once-promising career
It wasn't all that long ago that Jadon Sancho was English football's blue eyed boy – a dazzling talent with electric feet, a fearless swagger, and an eye for goal.
But in recent years, his brilliance has dimmed, and the only headlines he makes now are for off-field drama. For a player who finished runner-up in the 2019 Golden Boy award while at Dortmund and looked every bit as destined for greatness as team-mates Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham, his fall from grace has been stark.
What was meant to be a career-launching move to Manchester United in 2021 quickly descended into chaos, plagued by poor form, personal struggles, and a bitter feud that ultimately led to his exile. His spell at Chelsea hasn't been too much better, with glimpses of his once-undeniable talent now lost in a sea of mediocrity, and overshadowed by accusations of toxicity and unprofessionalism.
Here, Mirror Football examines where it all went wrong for Sancho as his career slips further from his grasp. With his reputation increasingly defined by controversy, the question now is how much of his potential can still be salvaged.
Jadon Sancho enrages Man Utd fans with just one word on Marcus Rashford's Instagram post
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Jadon Sancho's brutal Marcus Rashford message 'shows toxicity at Man Utd'](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/jadon-sancho-rashford-manutd-toxic-34653642)
Issues at Man Utd
There was a heck of a buzz around Sancho following his £73million move to United from Dortmund in 2021. He'd scored 36 goals in his final two seasons at the Westfalenstadion, and naturally, the Red Devils expected much of the same.
But a noxious blend of disappointing form, club turmoil, and off-field struggles stunted him from the off. Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United finished second in 2020/21, but had dropped to seventh by the time the Norwegian was sacked just a few months after Sancho joined.
Cristiano Ronaldo's deadline day arrival hadn't helped either. The Portugal superstar was ever-present as United's No. 9, sparking intense competition for the other two spots in the front three, with Sancho forced to jostle for position with Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Anthony Elanga and Jesse Lingard, among others.
Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo warming up
Jadon Sancho struggled to settle at Man Utd, and wasn't helped by Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival
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Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
Things initially improved when Erik ten Hag took the reins in 2022 – not least since his appointment prompted Ronaldo's dramatic departure – but the situation took a turn for the worse when Sancho was hit by a bout of depression. After a month away from the game, he returned to action, but it wasn't long before tensions flared into a full-blown feud between him and Ten Hag.
Spat with Ten Hag
After leaving Sancho out of the squad for United's 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in September 2023, Ten Hag insisted the forward's performances in training hadn't been up to scratch. In response, Sancho accused his manager of lying on social media, and even labelled himself a "scapegoat".
He wrote: "I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue. I have conducted myself very well in training this week... I've been a scapegoat for a long time which isn't fair!"
Sancho was immediately banished from the first team, and was even reported to have been booted out of the squad's WhatsApp group. He was forced to train with the academy players and was also barred from using all facilities in the first-team canteen. Some members of the senior squad had sympathy for Sancho, but it's understood that none of them thought his decision to accuse the manager of lying was sensible or justified.
Erik ten Hag and Jadon Sancho fell out in 2023 (
Image:
Manchester United via Getty Images)
Ten Hag demanded an apology, with sources claiming that Sancho would have been reintegrated into the squad if he'd issued one. But an apology didn't come, and their relationship deteriorated beyond repair.
A mid-season loan move back to Dortmund was quickly arranged, and Sancho's form improved significantly. His performances played a big part in the club's run to the Champions League final that season, where they were beaten by Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, United's Premier League campaign ended in disaster, with a dismal eighth-place finish – their worst in the competition's history. However, Ten Hag's job was spared after a surprise FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
This left Sancho in a bind. With reconciliation with Ten Hag off the table, another loan move was agreed, this time to Chelsea. Included in the deal was an obligation to buy clause, which will be activated providing the Blues finish higher than 15th in the Premier League this season.
Rashford outrage
Sancho's comment under Rashford's Instagram post ruffled plenty of feathers
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Image:
Getty Images)
It says a lot that since his summer move to Chelsea, the vast majority of the headlines Sancho has generated have been for a comment he posted on social media. The 24-year-old has had a lacklustre start to life at Stamford Bridge, with just two goals in 21 appearances so far.
The much-anticipated 'escape' from United hasn't sparked the revival many expected. However, it seems Sancho believes it might for Rashford, who, after a falling out with Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim, has followed in Sancho's footsteps by leaving on loan, in this case to Aston Villa.
Under his former team-mate's Instagram post about his Villa debut last week, Sancho wrote: "Freedom," sparking an almighty backlash, with some accusing the Chelsea ace of petulance and unprofessionalism, and many United supporters urging their club – who still pay part of Sancho's wages – to fine him.
Ex-United keeper Ben Foster, speaking on his podcast Ben Foster - The Cycling GK, said Sancho's comment "reeks of toxicity", insisting all it has done is shown that the club were right to get rid of him. "What is he doing? That's ridiculous because he is still actually employed by Manchester United, so is Marcus Rashford," Foster fumed.
"It just reeks of toxicity at United. It reeks of an unhappy place to be, that everybody's buzzing for someone to get out [of the club]."
Sancho wrote "freedom" in the comments section of Rashford's Instagram post about his Aston Villa debut (
Image:
Instagram/marcusrashford) Don't Miss
On talkSPORT, Simon Jordan said: "Sancho's career has gone backwards... this is the sort of atypical response from people that always like to align other people with the blame or their current failings. I think it's a sad indication of where United have gotten to to think that people can speak about the club in this way.
"I think the underlying message is that you’re out of the awful place that Man United has become. A place that has been created by the culture of players there and I would suggest that players like Jadon Sancho who only like it when they're told all the good things. They can't really deal with any home truths or they can't have any consequences for their actions because if they do, they don't like it."
According to The Daily Mail, Rashford didn't appreciate Sancho's comment and isn't happy about being dragged into his feud with the club.
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