Manchester United are navigating the 2024/2025 campaign without Jadon Sancho in the ranks at Old Trafford, and truthfully, you wouldn’t even notice he was gone.
While nobody can doubt that the 24-year-old was once one of the most prolific and unplayable forwards in Europe, United never actually benefitted from such traits.
There was a stark drop-off in Sancho’s game from the moment he swapped Dortmund for Manchester in 2021. Each player making the switch from a league like the Bundesliga is expected to take some time to transition to the ever-demanding Premier League, but not three years.
Nonetheless, following a turbulent tenure which saw him publicly fall-out with Erik ten Hag, exiled from the first team and eventually loaned back to Borussia Dortmund, Sancho is poised to be off United’s books for good next summer when Chelsea make his deal a permanent one.
He will, therefore, leave United with 83 appearances and 12 goals to his name in all competitions – well worth the £73 million they forked out for him way back when.
Having been impressed with the Englishman’s Chelsea debut over the weekend, David James believes INEOS chiefs could come to rue their decision to facilitate Sancho’s exit.
James’ high praise for United outcast
“My signing of the window has to be Chelsea’s capture of Sancho,” the ex-Three Lions goalkeeper revealed, as cited by The Mirror. “He had a good debut against Bournemouth – looked really lively, and there’s no doubt that there is a player in there.
“He’s shown what he’s all about at his two spells with Dortmund. There was something about him at United which, for whatever reason, obviously didn’t work.
“That can happen with players, particularly young ones, sometimes moves just don’t work out. His second spell at Dortmund re-energised him. It gave him the belief that he could operate at the highest level after his confidence was knocked at United.
“He’s going to get lots of opportunities to showcase his talent at Chelsea this season. I think it’s a great signing, and a new environment could be exactly what he needs to start demonstrating that he is one of the best-attacking players in the Premier League
“In many ways, it’s similar to Cole Palmer. Chelsea are going to give him a platform to express himself. If he can follow in Palmer’s footsteps, then it’s a fantastic piece of business and one that could leave United looking pretty foolish indeed, especially if they keep on struggling.”
