Manchester United could be forced into a late U-turn over Jadon Sancho as the winger’s stance on a September deadline threatens to complicate Ruben Amorim’s transfer window.
Sancho has been deemed surplus to requirements this summer, with United making clear they want him gone before the market closes.
His contract, worth upwards of £250,000 per week, has only added urgency as the club looks to free space on the wage bill and raise funds for reinforcements.
United have already invested heavily in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, so any extra relief they can generate by moving Sancho on and securing a fee could be vital in funding further late-window business.
The 25-year-old has already shown he is in no rush to leave. United accepted a £17m bid from Roma, but Sancho rejected the move and instructed his agent to turn it down.
Other approaches have also been dismissed, with Amorim unwilling to reintegrate him regardless of how long he remains at Old Trafford.
That backdrop leaves United desperate for a resolution before September 1.
According to GiveMeSport, however, Sancho is more relaxed about the deadline. The winger is prepared to wait beyond this window if the right permanent opportunity does not emerge and would even consider reassessing his options in January.
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That stance is designed to protect his long-term future, with Sancho conscious that he could secure a stronger move if he holds his ground.
But it collides directly with United’s urgency to close the door now and stop one of their highest earners drifting through the autumn without a role.
The concern for United’s hierarchy is that Sancho’s patience forces their hand. They may be left with little choice but to sanction a loan on deadline day, knowing that a permanent fee looks unlikely unless he changes his position.
For Amorim, the timing could not be worse. United’s manager has already moved Marcus Rashford on to Barcelona and wants the chance to reshape his squad with fresh signings before the window shuts.
Instead, Sancho’s stance risks leaving him with an expensive outcast who will not feature in his plans but still weighs heavily on the club’s books.
Sancho, who won the UEFA Conference League during a loan at Chelsea last season, is content to wait and see if better offers materialise later in the season. Dortmund are among the clubs to keep a watching brief, but no formal approach has been made.
Unless something changes quickly, United and Amorim may have to live with Sancho well beyond the deadline.