It is nearly four years since Jadon Sancho completed his long-awaited move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United. After refusing to meet Dortmund's £108million valuation in the summer of 2020, it looked like United had got themselves a bargain when paying just £73million 12 months later.
"Jadon epitomises the type of player I want to bring to the club - he is a forward player in the best traditions of Manchester United," said manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the time.
"He will form an integral part of my squad for years to come and we look forward to seeing him blossom. His goals and assists records speak for themselves and he will also bring tremendous pace, flair and creativity to the team."
It summed up the buzz around one of the most exciting deals [United](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester-united-fc) had pulled off for a long time. There wasn't a dissenting voice to be heard as Sancho became the second most expensive English player of all time, behind new teammate Harry Maguire.
He had ripped it up in the Bundesliga and was making an impact with England at that summer's European Championship, and as Solskjaer said, his style certainly looked to belong to United's traditions. [Sancho](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/jadon-sancho) called the move a "dream come true." But it has turned into a recurring nightmare.
We are now at a point where there is a chance Sancho will leave Old Trafford on a free transfer when his five-year contract expires in the summer of 2026. He would be just 26 if that came to pass, but it cannot be ruled out at this stage.
Sancho has had his fill of life at United. He fell out with Erik ten Hag last season, and his "freedom" comment on Marcus Rashford's Instagram post recently made clear what he thought of the club that still holds his registration.
But then Sancho probably thought he had left his former club behind for good when he picked up his phone and posted that comment in February. Chelsea have an obligation to buy him this summer when his loan deal at Stamford Bridge ends, and that, he probably thought, is the end of that.
Only Sancho has rarely looked like an elite footballer in recent seasons. So desperate has his form for Chelsea been in the last four months that the club are now seriously considering paying Manchester United to take him back. That would be the ultimate humiliation for a player getting nowhere close to fulfilling his potential.
United have described that possibility as a "win-win," and they would at least be pocketing more cash for Sancho. But it's difficult to see a market forming around him this summer if his form at Stamford Bridge doesn't pick up considerably.
At least United have recently banked some cash for the 24-year-old. His loan move to Borussia Dortmund in the second half of last season proved to be financially rewarding. Their run to the Champions League final meant a large portion of add-ons were met, earning a total fee of around £5million.
Now, United will profit further from whatever Chelsea opt to do. The obligation is to sign the player for a fee of around £25million, but if they do pull out, then a "significant" sum will still have to be paid to United.
Those sums will make a difference in a summer when Sancho's book value will shrink to just £14.6million. The question is whether United will be able to sell the winger if Chelsea don't make the move permanent.
If they can't, a third successive loan move could be considered if most of Sancho's wages are covered. That could see him run down the final year of his contract and leave for nothing in 2026, with United having already recouped at least some money for a player who was supposed to be the future but hasn't played a Premier League game for the club since August 2023 and is unlikely to do so again.