Aston Villa news as Jadon Sancho's season-long loan move to Villa Park from Manchester United is scrutinised by Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes
Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher has questioned Jadon Sancho's quality
(Image: The Overlap on YouTube)
Paul Scholes and Jamie Carragher have questioned Jadon Sancho's ability following his season-long loan switch from Manchester United to Aston Villa.
Sancho arrived at Villa Park on deadline day last week after being relegated to the 'bomb squad' at Old Trafford by Ruben Amorim. The winger has been away from United for the past season-and-a-half and will now attempt to rediscover his finest form at Villa.
He spent the latter half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Borussia Dortmund before moving to Chelsea last summer. Despite assisting them in securing the Conference League and earning Champions League qualification, the Blues chose to pay a £5million penalty fee to void their permanent option to sign the England international.
Now, Sancho will be hoping to finally recapture his form from his Dortmund spell, where he netted 50 goals in 137 appearances. However, Carragher has cast doubt over his overall capability at the highest level.
"It's funny with Jadon Sancho," he said on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet. "Back when he was at Borussia Dortmund, Gary Neville and I were on a show where we had to pick an England squad.
"We hadn't seen too much of him - he was doing well in the Champions League, but we left him out. Everyone on social media was saying, 'How can you not pick Sancho?'
"I'm still not sure there's that much ability there. He's okay, but I don't really see what his standout quality is. With Marcus Rashford, even though I've criticised him, I can picture his pace, his shooting, his free-kicks, the power he puts into the ball.
"With Sancho, I just don't know what his thing is - I can't picture it in my head."
Scholes, speaking on the same programme, challenged Villa's choice to gamble on him. "[Unai] Emery might be good for him, but he is a weird signing," he said.
"We discussed how the dimensions of the pitch might pose problems for him, Villa Park is enormous. A shortage of pace, a shortage of legs, it worries you. He has got ability, but what are his strengths?".
"Does he cut inside and smash it in the top corner? Can he beat a man? He possibly links with a centre forward.
"He probably has the skill to go past someone, but they catch him. He can't go on again."