Jadon Sancho x Nuno Espirito Santo - West Ham United
Action Image
West Ham United have one of the strongest squads perhaps in Championship history but The Irons remain keen on continuing to strengthen that with suggestions they are trying to sign Jadon Sancho.
West Ham have been knocked off top spot in the second-tier and their most recent outing, a 3-2 defeat to Southampton, has shown a frustrating fallibility in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
That defeat to The Saints was the sixth time this season in which they have conceded more than one goal in a game across all competitions with Nuno opting for quite an open approach in terms of his system and the personnel being used.
It would therefore be somewhat surprising that, rather than focus on some defensive deficiencies undermining their extremely high-ceiling, a ceiling that has seen them win 6-0 twice already this season, they are looking at bringing in another attacker in Jadon Sancho.
Jadon Sancho’s weekly wage at Manchester United
Jadon Sancho - Manchester United
Action Image
Having been linked with a move to Getafe, who have recently signed former Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal and are involved in the UEFA Europa Conference League this season, earlier this month; it has emerged in recent reports that West Ham have been offered the opportunity to acquire Sancho in what would be an eye-catching move for the Championship promotion hopefuls.
Sancho’s career has been an odd and frustrating one for him and many neutrals or England supporters who thought he would be destined to be at the top level throughout his career.
He has still had moments in recent seasons and if he can reach his previous pick at Borussia Dortmund, however unlikely that is, he could still be a worthwhile contributor to most teams in England, let alone in the Championship.
One big issue he has had in finding a new club was his weekly wage at Manchester United, whom he moved to from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of around £73 million in the summer of 2021, having been a part of the England squad that reached their first major tournament final since 1966 at UEFA EURO 2020.
According to a report in The Sun this week, Sancho was said to be earning a weekly wage of £250,000 across his five-year contract at Old Trafford.
The Sun’s report goes on to suggest he would have been willing to take a 96% pay cut, though, in order to move to La Liga and sign for Getafe – moving to the Coliseum on a salary of £10,000 per week.
How Jadon Sancho’s wage compares to West Ham’s squad
Jadon Sancho, Aston Villa
Action images
The £250,000 per week that the England international winger was earning at Manchester United would, of course, dwarf the highest earners in the Championship and at West Ham.
According to Capology, the highest earner in England’s second-tier is Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who is said to be earning £120,000 per week.
He is apparently one of four players to be on £100,000 per week or more in the Championship, alongside Saints teammate James Ward-Prowse and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ summer signings Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez.
Nuno Espirito Santo and James Ward-Prowse
Nuno Espirito Santo and James Ward-Prowse
With regards to West Ham, it is said that their highest earners are wingers Manor Solomon and captain Jarrod Bowen, who are earning £75,000 per week.
If Sancho remains willing to dip to £10,000 per week, as was suggested, then he would actually be among the lower earners in the squad alongside academy graduate Ollie Scarles and Venezuelan winger Keiber Lamadrid. That's unlikely, though, and one would only imagine that the Hammers will have to propose a healthy pay-packet in order to bring the former superstar to East London.
Jadon Sancho would remain a coup for West Ham
Jadon Sancho, Chelsea
Action images
Having shone brightly at the Westfalenstadion in Germany with Borussia Dortmund, where he scored 50 goals and provided 57 assists in 137 appearances during his first stint at the club, Sancho has failed on his upwards trajectory.
Once in the academy at Manchester City, Sancho experienced a couple of underwhelming seasons at United before being very much on the periphery of the first-team setup in the first half of the 2023-24 campaign.
He returned to Dortmund in January 2024 and did play a key role for Edin Terzic’s side that made a surprising run to the UEFA Champions League final; a game in which he started in a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium.
His following campaign saw him shipped out on loan to Chelsea and, under the management of Enzo Maresca, he did contribute double figures for combined goals and assists as they won the UEFA Europa Conference League; albeit never someone front and centre at Stamford Bridge.
Last season, Sancho again made a worthwhile contribution out on loan, helping Aston Villa finish fourth in the Premier League and win the UEFA Europa League with 39 appearances across all competitions.
Again, more of a squad player at Villa Park as was the case with Chelsea, he was still a squad player in trophy winning teams and did make some contributions to both sides at the top end of English football.
It would therefore surely still be a coup for West Ham to lure the 26-year-old down into the second-tier of English football, where he could once again attempt to relaunch a career that has stagnated significantly.