Manchester United had hoped to be rid of Jadon Sancho by now, but this was one part of the summer window that did not go quite to plan.
Jadon Sancho was Manchester United’s biggest headache during the summer transfer window.
Sancho has not played a Premier League game for Manchester United since 2023, and he is now in his third loan spell away from the club.
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Chelsea decided to pay £5 million to United not to sign him, setting off a long search from United to find a buyer.
United did not find a buyer, and had to settle for sending Sancho on a deadline day loan to Aston Villa.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty ImagesMan Utd disappointed with Jadon Sancho loan
With regard to Jadon Sancho’s loan at Aston Villa so far, it is important to set the comparison to Marcus Rashford at Barcelona.
While United secured a £40 million purchase agreement in that deal, Sancho’s loan at Chelsea last season proves these deals are not watertight.
Rashford is playing so well that Barcelona are keen on signing him as early as January if they are able to reach an agreement with Manchester United.
This would have been the ideal outcome for Manchester United with Jadon Sancho.
Sancho is out of contract at the end of the summer, finally bringing his association with the club to an end.
But in a perfect scenario, Sancho would be playing so well at Aston Villa that they would be keen enough to offer United a small fee to land him on a permanent basis in January.
This is not the case so far, with Sancho playing just once in the Premier League, an eight-minute cameo as a substitute.
Transfer insider Graeme Bailey tells United In Focus: “There is concern at United about Sancho’s situation.
“It’s not that they were hoping a return to form would signal a return to Old Trafford, far from it, but the chances of getting any money back for a player that cost over £70million are looking as slim as they ever have.
“In ideal world Sancho would have featured constantly and impressed and United would have a decision to make about whether to take up his option and possibly sell him, or even sell him in January.
“Sancho could clearly return to form and the hope within United is that he does so they might have a decision to make.
“They will continue to monitor the situation but hopes are not high.”
Sancho’s Aston Villa spell by numbers
- Jadon Sancho has made one start for Aston Villa, in the League Cup, but they were eliminated by Brentford on penalties.
- He played 32 minutes in a Europa League win over Bologna.
- Sancho played eight minutes in a Premier League draw with Sunderland.
- He has not played for Villa at all in October, with his last appearance for the club coming on September 25.