Manchester United are finally edging closer to solving the Jadon Sancho saga this summer.
Aston Villa have emerged as a surprise deadline-day destination, with the Midlands club now on the brink of sealing a loan deal for the winger.
According to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, a deal is now agreed in principle to sign Sancho on a straight loan with the Villans covering 80% of his wages.
United will not come away empty-handed either, as the deal includes a loan fee plus performance-related add-ons.
If these add-ons are met, the Red Devils may not have to pay a penny from their pockets to Sancho.
His current deal with United ends in June 2026 but the club have an option to extend it by another year.
Whether the club chooses to activate that clause remains a key question.
For INEOS, this loan looks set to be another clever piece of transfer business.
Sancho has been pocketing around £200,000 per week, a staggering figure for a player frozen out of the squad.
Several Italian clubs explored a move, but Sancho refused to take a pay cut, effectively pricing himself out of Serie A.
This was the main stumbling block in United’s pursuit of selling him.
Earlier today, ruthless INEOS made another bold statement by refusing to hand Antony a severance package before his switch to Real Betis.
These two deals show that the club’s co-owners are determined to stamp out the transfer mismanagement that has plagued the club for years.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com