Sancho could be on his way out of United this week (Image: Getty)
Jadon Sancho’s troubled stint at Manchester United could be nearing its conclusion amid speculation of a move to Chelsea, with Raheem Sterling potentially heading the other way.
The ex-Manchester City youth player caught the attention of Europe’s top clubs after a series of impressive performances for Borussia Dortmund. The Red Devils eventually secured the Sancho’s services, signing him for £72.9million in July 2021, marking what seemed to be a significant step forward in his career.
However, since then, Sancho’s tenure at United has been marred by poor form, injuries and a highly publicised dispute with United boss Erik ten Hag. As Chelsea and United are reportedly negotiating one of the summer’s astonishing deals, we take a closer look at what went wrong for Sancho at United.
The fallout with Ten Hag
A key factor in Sancho’s impending departure from United is his strained relationship with Erik Ten Hag. Despite initial promise, with Sancho shining in the Dutchman’s first pre-season at the club, his form began to dip, and an appearance against Chelsea in October 2022 turned out to be his last for United for three months.
Ten Hag had concerns over Sancho’s form on and off the pitch, which led to the winger being excluded from England’s 2022 World Cup squad and sent to train in the Netherlands while his team-mates were in Spain. Ten Hag pointed out that Sancho needed to address “a combination of physical but also mental” issues, reports the Mirror.
Sancho saw some action at the start of the 2023/24 season, making appearances off the bench for United’s first three Premier League matches. However, he was notably absent from the squad against Arsenal, with Ten Hag attributing the decision to Sancho’s subpar training performances.
Ten Hag explained: “Jadon, on his performance in training, was not selected. You have to reach a level at Manchester United every day.”
This culminated in a shocking twist when Sancho took to Twitter with a post imploring fans not to “believe everything you read”. The post suggested that Ten Hag was not being truthful and made him out to be a “scapegoat”.
Sancho and Ten Hag have endured a tricky relationship in their time at United (Image: Getty)
After the controversial tweet, the pair reportedly tried to resolve their issues and are believed to have met to discuss matters. Although Sancho removed his contentious tweet, he is said to have stopped short of apologising to Ten Hag.
On September 14, United issued a statement confirming that Sancho would “remain on a personal training programme away from the first-team group, pending resolution of a squad discipline issue”.
Kicked out of WhatsApp group
Sancho was reportedly removed from the United WhatsApp group following the fallout with Ten Hag. The group, managed by staff for communicating updates to players, became a point of contention when Sancho was excluded, leaving him unhappy with the move.
Sources close to United have acknowledged that the relationship between the 24-year-old and Ten Hag had hit a dead end, with no chance of reconciliation unless Sancho decided to apologise for his actions on social media.
Sancho found his form on his second stint at Dortmund (Image: Getty)
A return to Dortmund
In light of his absence from United’s lineup since September 2023 due to the dispute with Ten Hag, Sancho viewed the January transfer window as an ideal moment to revive his career. He secured a return to his old stomping ground with a loan deal on January 11 this year.
Borussia Dortmund shelled out a cool €4million (£3.3million) to secure Sancho, a move that reignited the winger’s scintillating form. “When I came into the dressing room today, it felt like ‘coming home’,” an elated Sancho said following his return to the club.
His impact was immediate and profound, propelling Dortmund up the league and playing a pivotal role in their astonishing run to the Champions League final at Wembley. Sancho’s exceptional displays against European heavyweights Atletico Madrid and PSG in the knockout stages had fans reminiscing over his heyday performances, and he didn’t shy away from addressing his critics post-match in Paris, delivering a pointed message to the doubters.
Although Dortmund fell short against Real Madrid in the showpiece game, Sancho took to social media to express his appreciation for the journey, stating he was “grateful” to be part of such “an amazing group of players” and feeling like he was with “family” at BVB.
During his stint with the Black and Yellows, Sancho notched up three goals and as many assists across 21 appearances. Despite Dortmund’s desire to convert the loan into a permanent transfer, United’s hefty valuation, rumoured to be around £50million, forced them to rethink their strategy.
Back in favour
In a dramatic turn of events, Ten Hag has hinted at a possible future for Sancho at United. Reports had surfaced that the winger and his boss had made amends, with Sancho set to be welcomed back into the fold.
Yet, in a recent statement, Ten Hag’s words were shrouded in mystery as he addressed their relationship: “As we said, we’ve drawn the line,” he said. “Manchester United needs good players and Jadon is a good player. We have drawn that line and we move on.”
Despite the apparent reconciliation, Sancho has seen a mere seven minutes of action in the new season, all during a cameo in the Community Shield triumph over Manchester City. With such limited playtime, speculation is once again rife about Sancho’s imminent departure from Old Trafford.
Sancho and Sterling could swap clubs this summer according to reports (Image: Getty)
A potential move to Chelsea
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling finds himself in a similar predicament, sidelined by new manager Enzo Maresca, sparking widespread discussion about his future at the club.
A sensational swap deal involving Sancho moving to Chelsea and Sterling heading to United is reportedly now under discussion. Despite the ticking transfer deadline, The Telegraph suggests that Sancho is among several players on Chelsea’s radar this week, although a swap deal appears to be highly complicated.
Should a switch to Stamford Bridge not come to fruition, it seems Sancho could be Italy-bound, with Serie A titan Juventus also showing interest in his situation. Regardless of where Sancho finds himself when the clock strikes 11pm on Friday, he’ll be hoping it’s at a club where he can let his football skills shine once more.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1940951/Jadon-Sancho-Chelsea-swap-transfer-Man-Utd