Manchester United are set to make a decision on Jadon Sancho’s future before the season concludes. The winger, who is under contract at Old Trafford runs until June, has the option of a 12-month extension. United’s hierarchy will determine whether to let Sancho depart when his contract ends, or trigger his one-year extension with the aim of securing a transfer fee in exchange for his services.
Sancho arrived from Borussia Dortmund for a hefty £72.8million in the summer of 2021. He spent last season on loan at Chelsea after falling out of favour at United, but there was little interest in signing him permanently during the summer window. Aston Villa ended up landing Sancho on a season-long loan on the final day of the transfer window.
They agreed to pay 80 per cent of Sancho’s wages, with achievable bonuses essentially covering his full salary during his time at Villa Park this term.
United received a loan fee, but no option or obligation to buy Sancho was included in the agreement. Roma suggested a season-long loan with an obligation to purchase Sancho for £20m, but negotiations did not advance.
Sancho’s market value has taken a hit during his stint in Manchester. He was an England international and one of Europe’s most promising players when he joined United.
He is yet to start a Premier League match for Villa and suffered the humiliation of being substituted off after coming on as a substitute against Manchester City last weekend.
Speaking afterwards, Unai Emery said: “Yes, sure he’s not happy, but I did it before with Morgan Rogers, with Emiliano Buendia, with Leon Bailey, and he played 60 minutes on Thursday.
“Today when he [Buendia] was injured, my plan was maybe in case he [Sancho] was going to play 30 minutes, but I decided to play more and he played 45 minutes.
“But my plan was when he was swapped with Emiliano Buendia, the idea was maybe not playing all the minutes until the last moment. And I told him as well, he can feel it, it’s embarrassing.
“Before Morgan, Emiliano Buendia and Leon Bailey, they felt the same when I subbed them, but it was not a punishment. And now it’s not a punishment.
“He played 45 minutes, I am so happy because his impact was good, his electricity, his skill, but then to play more than now he’s not ready fit to play 90 minutes. 45 minutes is not easy enough for him and I am happy and of course, progressively he’s coming better and better.”
