Manchester United and Chelsea are on the verge of finalising a deal that would see Jadon Sancho move to Stamford Bridge on loan. The move, which includes an obligation for Chelsea to make the transfer permanent next summer, could see the England forward return to the Premier League after a tumultuous spell at Old Trafford.
Sources have confirmed to ESPN that a fee of approximately £25 million (â¬29.6 million) has been agreed for a permanent transfer next year. The 24-year-old winger has been on the periphery of the first team at United for over a year, missing out on the opening two Premier League matches of the season against Fulham and Brighton.
Sancho's time at United has been marred by inconsistent performances and public disagreements with manager Erik ten Hag. After falling out of favour last season, he spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Borussia Dortmund, the club he left for Manchester in 2021.
Despite his reintegration into the squad this summer and participation in the pre-season tour of the United States, Sancho has been granted permission to join Chelsea, a direct rival in the Premier League.
While United were reportedly keen on negotiating a permanent move for Sancho, the two clubs were unable to agree on a valuation. United reportedly sought around £40 million (â¬47.2 million) for the winger, while Chelsea were reluctant to meet that price.
The Blues have overtaken Juventus in the race to sign Sancho after talks with the Italian side stalled on Thursday. While significant progress was made during discussions on Wednesday, Juventus ultimately failed to reach an agreement with Manchester United.
Sancho's arrival at Chelsea could inject some much-needed creativity into Mauricio Pochettino's squad, providing competition for the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling. However, the move will undoubtedly raise eyebrows among United supporters, who will be keen to see their club recoup a significant fee for a player who has fallen short of expectations.
