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Poor old Jadon Sancho. I feel for him, I really do.
He is, on his day, an excellent player - quick, clever passes, great with the ball at his feet and with an eye for goal. The problem is, for Manchester United fans, is that he has only been on his day about three times since 2021, although anyone who scores against Liverpool gets an entry in our “favourite players” book.
So when he was shipped off to Chelsea - the team he supports - it seemed like a win-win situation. He had issues at Old Trafford, he did OK when he returned to Dortmund on loan, so a new club, fresh start, off United’s wage bill... all good. Chelsea duly finished in the top 14 (ironically United did not) which triggered the obligation to buy, but now it seems they don’t want Sancho and are happy to pay the £5m penalty that sends him back to Old Trafford.
This is desperate stuff, and now the arrangement which suited everyone has morphed into one which suits nobody. Chelsea have had to pay out extra, United have a player they didn’t want then and certainly don’t want now - leaving aside any personality clashes there may or may not have been, Sancho is never going to fit into a Ruben Amorim 3-4-3 as he’s not enough of a tackler to be a wing-back, and nowhere near muscular enough to play in the front three - and so the player must feel as if he is on the scrapheap.
So, Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, it’s not too late to listen to my idea, and get it in place pronto.
If you want to keep up interest in the summer, and make a few bob at the same time, forget playing friendlies against lower-league teams or any more tours in which players are either embarrassing or disinterested, or both.
Instead, we need to see the Jadon Sancho play-off - United against Chelsea, over two legs, with the loser having to keep him on their books. There’s no way that that wouldn’t be a sell-out - a pre-season game with something to actually play for. Probably more enticing than the Charity Shield (as I insist on still calling it).
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