The current Manchester United squad fear that Jadon Sancho is not good enough for the Red Devils' ambitions under Ruben Amorim and fear the possibility of his return, a Manchester Evening News report has claimed. This comes after it was revealed his loan club Chelsea might need to pay as little as £5 million to avoid signing the out-of-form winger on a permanent basis this summer.
Once a Manchester City academy product turned Borussia Dortmund sensation, Sancho’s nightmare spell at Old Trafford was often blamed on the environment rather than his talent or mentality. After contributing to five goals (two goals, three assists) in his first nine Premier League appearances for Chelsea, the 25-year-old might have jumped the gun in his scathing criticism of his parent club, as he could well return in a few months' time.
In his next 14 league games, Sancho has only managed to add one further assist, while it took him until this month to register his first shot on target in the calendar year. While there's no bad blood in terms of his personality in the United camp, there's a feeling that the winger is simply not good enough.
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How Manchester United Feel About Jadon Sancho
His performances have not been good enough to warrant a third chance
Reports suggest that influential figures within the United squad have no issue with Sancho's personality but felt he struggled to meet the demands of playing for the club before his exile by former manager Erik ten Hag 18 months ago. United signed Sancho for £72.9m from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, and his contract is set to expire next summer.
If Chelsea back out of their commitment to purchase Sancho, United would need to secure a fee of £14.58m to sell him and avoid a loss under the Premier League's profitability and sustainability regulations. The player's cost is amortised over the length of his contract, and with little chance of Sancho triggering a one-year extension on his deal in 2026, he could find himself facing a similar struggle to the one he encountered just last summer.
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe singled out Sancho as one of five players at the club who were either "not good enough" or "overpaid" earlier this month. Additionally, Ruben Amorim dismissed a question regarding the possibility of Sancho returning to United during a press conference last month.
“I don’t know," the former Sporting Lisbon boss responded when asked if Sancho no longer wanted to play for United. "I’m just focused on my players and my problems. Sancho is not my problem."