Manchester United are left with a familiar dilemma. Finding a new home for Jadon Sancho.
After his fallout with Erik ten Hag in 2023, Manchester United have been trying to find a solution for the Jadon Sancho problem.
United sent Sancho out on loan to Borussia Dortmund in January 2024, but the German side did not want to pay to sign him on a permanent basis.
Sancho featured for United in pre-season, in a clear attempt to keep him in the shop window, before he made a transfer deadline day move to Chelsea.
Chelsea’s deal had a £25 million purchase clause. Unfortunately for United, Chelsea have chosen not to pay the ‘obligation’.
The Blues opted to pay a £5 million penalty to break the obligation, sending Sancho back to Manchester United.
United In Focus understands the critical reason behind Chelsea’s decision was Sancho’s refusal to lower his wage demands.
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
The Chelsea fan view on Jadon Sancho
Manchester United fans are very frustrated at Sancho’s return, pointing out it is an ‘all time low’ for the winger.
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We spoke to The Chelsea Chronicle editor Jack Drury to discuss the fallout from the club’s decision not to sign Sancho.
Drury explains that at first the move ‘looked like a win-win deal’, with Chelsea fans impressed with his early performances. But question marks began to emerge.
He said: “As the season went on and tough times hit the whole squad, it became clear we couldn’t rely on him to pull out big performances to rescue results. This came during his long goal drought.”
Sancho did recover and ended the season on a high, earning the respect of his teammates – but there were always question marks over his long-term fit.
Drury added: “Chelsea are seemingly looking at big names to strengthen their team now they’re back in the Champions League, and while it felt Sancho had a role to play in the squad, it looks like he wasn’t prepared to take that wage cut.
“Personally, I would have liked to keep him with the uncertainty over Mykhailo Mudryk’s status, however admittedly this is likely with the intention of selling him on within the next one or two years.”
He adds that on reflection the 2024/25 season was a satisfactory experience for Sancho and Chelsea, but believes the club will cope fine without him.
“Overall, his loan spell can be seen as positive as far as Chelsea are concerned, however there will not be too many complaints at the decision made.”
Jadon Sancho inforgraphic
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Jadon Sancho flattered to deceive
When you take out his Europa Conference League contributions, Jadon Sancho’s efforts for Chelsea were considerably flat in the Premier League.
Sancho averaged only 57 minutes per appearance and averaged only 0.77 shots at goal per game. Data shows he contributed only 21.1 accurate passes per game.
The winger scored only three goals in 31 games, with four assists, and it’s easy to see why Chelsea felt he was not worth breaking their wage structure for.
If United cannot find a buyer for Sancho, the final option is to terminate his contract – but this would cost a staggering £31 million.