New Delhi: Jadon Sancho was once herald as the crown jewel of England’s youth football with the youngster tearing it up at the youth level and during his time at Borussia Dortmund. The player first rose to prominence during the U-17 European Championships in 2017 where he was named the player of the tournament. He was then named in the U-17 FIFA World Cup squad and travelled to India for the group stages, before being withdrawn by Borussia Dortmund before the knockouts, indicating the club’s trust and faith in the youngster.
He would go on to achieve stardom in Germany, impressing outside of his home country at such a young age, something not a lot of English youngsters adopted. Seeing Sancho flourish outside of England paved the way for many young English talents to move out of the country to further their careers, with the likes of Jamal Musiala, Jamie Gittens, and Jude Bellingham all moving to Germany from England. However, Sancho’s return to his home nation hasn’t been as inspiring and after struggling for consistency at Manchester United, he joined rivals Chelsea last summer on a loan deal.
When Sancho secured a loan move to Chelsea, it was seen as a fresh start for the winger as it presented an opportunity to rediscover the form that made him one of Europe’s most exciting young players. After a promising start to life at Stamford Bridge however, the 24-year-old has quickly regressed into the same frustrating patterns that haunted him at Old Trafford. Now, Chelsea are reportedly considering paying a penalty fee to avoid making the move permanent, raising serious doubts about Sancho’s future in the Premier League.
Sancho’s struggles have been well-documented. After drawing a blank against Arsenal in his most recent outing, he has now gone 14 consecutive Premier League games without a goal and has registered just a single assist in that period. While his early performances under Enzo Maresca suggested a revival, his influence has waned significantly, leaving Chelsea questioning whether he is worth the £25 million obligation to buy.
New Club, Same Problems
Sancho’s decline at Chelsea mirrors his difficult spell at Manchester United. When the Red Devils splashed £72.9 million on him in 2021, they believed they were signing a future superstar. However, he struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, often looking out of place in a dysfunctional United side. His lack of confidence, inconsistency, and inability to impact games regularly led to him being dropped by multiple managers.
Under Erik ten Hag, Sancho’s situation reached its lowest point. A public fallout with the Dutchman saw him exiled from the first team, and by January 2024, he was sent back on loan to Borussia Dortmund, where he showed glimpses of his old self. He played a key role in Dortmund’s surprise run to the Champions League final, reminding everyone of the immense talent that had once made him one of Europe’s hottest prospects.
❌ Arsenal
❌ Leicester
❌ Southampton
❌ Aston Villa
❌ Brighton
❌ West Ham
❌ Man City
❌ Wolves
❌ Bournemouth
❌ Crystal Palace
❌ IpswichJadon Sancho has failed to have a shot on target in eleven Premier League matches this year. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/6dgNy37aCq
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 16, 2025
At Chelsea, things initially looked different. Sancho thrived in Maresca’s fluid attacking system, registering an assist in each of his first three games. His best performance came in Chelsea’s dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham, where he scored a brilliant solo goal and terrorized Spurs’ defense but that spark has since disappeared. Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel recently criticized Sancho’s lack of effort, pointing out that he hasn’t looked the same player since December. “He came through the door and showed why I wanted him… But since December, we haven’t seen anything from Jadon,” Mikel said.
Sancho’s biggest issue appears to be his mentality. When he is confident and engaged, he is a game-changer. But when things aren’t going his way, he tends to withdraw and disappear from games. His disinterested body language has been a concern for both United and Chelsea fans, and if he doesn’t address it soon, he risks becoming another cautionary tale of unfulfilled potential.
Is a Manchester United return an option?
When Chelsea struck the deal to bring Sancho on board, it was an initial loan deal with an option to buy the player permanently next summer for £25 million. However, the deal was structured in such a manner that the option would become an obligation to buy if the London club finish 14th or higher in the Premier League table. As of this writing, the Blues are currently sat fourth in the league with only nine games left in the season, so they’re going to be finishing above 14th for sure, making it an obligation for the club to buy the attacker.
Recent reports have now also emerged stating that there is a way that Chelsea can get out of the deal to buy Sancho permanently given his recent run of form. Reports online claim that the Blues can pay ‘a significant penalty fee’ to Manchester United and get out of the deal to buy him permanently and have the player return to Old Trafford. While this is an option that the club have and are reportedly considering it, there hasn’t been anything concrete on this front.
🚨 Chelsea are considering paying a penalty fee to avoid a £25m obligation to buy Jadon Sancho this summer following his loan from Manchester United.
(Source: The I Paper ) pic.twitter.com/oo6Jwke8el
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) March 19, 2025
Sancho, still remains a Chelsea player, and nothing indicates that the club are exploring an option to not sign him permanently. At a lowly price of £25 million, he still presents to be a steal for the Blues and his recent downturn of form has come at a time when the club are themselves struggling. When the player was shining, he was sharing the responsibility with both Joao Felix and Mykhalio Mudryk on the left flank but since then Felix has joined AC Milan on loan and Mudryk is still provisionally suspended.
Once Sancho has competition on the left flank again and can be rotated well enough, he will most likely return to the form he showed in the first half of the season. For Sancho, the path forward is clear as he needs to find a way to reignite his career. Whether at Chelsea, United, or elsewhere, he must show the hunger and determination that made him such a promising talent in the first place. If he doesn’t, his days in the Premier League could be numbered, and he may never reach the heights he was once destined for.
Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho swapped the Red Devils of Manchester for the Blues of London this past summer and despite a good start to life at Chelsea, his form has been on the wane recently for the 24-year-old. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
