Jadon Sancho warming up
Jadon Sancho is now worth a fraction of what he was worth as a 19-year-old (Image: PA)
Jadon Sancho's market value has plummeted since his move to Manchester United. The 25-year-old, who recently secured a deadline day loan switch to Aston Villa, was once hailed as one of the brightest talents in European football. This reputation convinced United to fork out a whopping £73million to secure him from Borussia Dortmund in 2021.
At that time, the fee - one of the largest in English football history - seemed warranted. Just a year prior, Transfermarkt had valued Sancho, then 19, at an impressive £113m. However, his stock quickly started to decline. Today, he's estimated to be worth around £24m - a jaw-dropping £89m decrease within five years. A lacklustre and unproductive spell at Old Trafford has largely contributed to this downfall, with Sancho struggling for form, confidence and goals.
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He managed to net just five times across all competitions in his debut season with the club - a stark contrast to the 16 and 20 goals he scored in his last two seasons in Germany. Managerial instability certainly didn't help matters, nor did the unexpected return of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the man who brought Sancho to the club, was given the boot before Christmas, while Ronaldo's comeback necessitated an attacking reshuffle that moved Marcus Rashford to the left and forced Sancho into an unfamiliar position on the right.
Things looked up briefly under Erik ten Hag. Sancho finished the 2022/23 season with six Premier League goals and a more central role in the first team. But everything fell apart at the beginning of the subsequent campaign.
Jude Bellingham (L) and Jadon Sancho (R)
Jadon Sancho, like Jude Bellingham, exploded onto the scene at Dortmund (Image: Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images)
In September 2023, Sancho was axed from the squad to face Arsenal, with Ten Hag publicly slamming his training displays. Sancho fired back on social media, branding his boss a liar and insisting he had been turned into a "scapegoat."
What ensued was a four-month battle. Exiled to train with the reserves, Sancho eventually landed a loan switch back to Dortmund. By that point, though, his market value had crashed to £22m - the lowest since his breakout campaign in 2017/18.
Upon returning to the Bundesliga, Sancho enjoyed a modest renaissance that offered glimpses of the talent United had sought to acquire. He bagged three goals and three assists in 21 outings and played a key role in Dortmund's march to the Champions League final, where they came up short against Real Madrid.
Jadon Sancho and Ten Hag
Sancho's falling out with Ten Hag completely derailed his Old Trafford career (Image: Getty)
His exceptional semi-final display against Paris Saint-Germain drew acclaim from Ten Hag himself, who hailed it as justification for United's initial outlay. This period not only rebuilt some of his self-belief but also steadied his market value briefly, providing a ray of light during the chaos.
That hope proved fleeting, though, as Sancho's 2024/25 loan spell at Chelsea became another tale of disappointment. Arriving on deadline day with an obligation-to-buy clause valued at approximately £25m, he battled for regular starts in a packed forward line under Enzo Maresca.
Throughout the season, Sancho managed to net only three league goals, appearing a mere shadow of his former self who dazzled in the Bundesliga. Chelsea, disappointed with his performance, chose to fork out a £5m termination fee rather than activate the permanent deal.
Sancho in action for Chelsea
Jadon Sancho's spell at Chelsea was underwhelming (Image: Getty Images)
Now setting off on his third consecutive loan stint, this time at Aston Villa, Sancho's market value remains low at roughly £24m - barely a third of what United shelled out four years prior. The Red Devils continue to contribute towards his wages, and are hopeful that a successful spell at Villa Park could either pave the way for a permanent departure or reignite the possibility of reintegration.
Regardless, Sancho's career stands as a warning story of unmet potential in contemporary football, where hype and hefty price tags can collapse under strain. However, talent like his doesn't typically disappear overnight.
Perhaps at Villa, under the tutelage of Unai Emery, Sancho can finally arrest the slide, boost his worth, and remind everyone why he was once deemed one of Europe's most promising talents.