Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho joined Aston Villa on a season-long loan and is facing some tough decisions over his future
Jadon Sancho has endured a challenging four years since joining Manchester United, but the end of his nightmare spell is in sight. The England international has not played under Ruben Amorim, having spent last season on loan at Chelsea before joining Aston Villa on a temporary basis for the 2025/26 campaign.
The 25-year-old has been mostly used in the Europa League by Emery, with 336 minutes played this season – just under a quarter of which have been in the Premier League. He is yet to start in the latter competition with a cameo off the bench against Manchester City ending in brutal fashion when he was substituted off.
Emery later made it clear that the decision was fitness-related, with Sancho having played 67 minutes in Europe just a few days earlier. Nonetheless, he appears to be in Villa’s second-choice team with updates now emerging on his future at Old Trafford and the three clubs he could join next year.
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With all of that being said, Mirror Sport has taken a closer look at Sancho’s predicament at Villa Park, United contract and potential next club.
Man Utd blow
Sancho signed a five-year contract when he joined United from Borussia Dortmund back in 2021, which means that deal is set to expire in roughly six months.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Sancho will depart the club as a free agent, having made 83 appearances with 12 goals and six assists to his name over what is technically just two years, given his loan spells elsewhere.
United will be glad to get his hefty salary off their wage bill, but will no doubt rue the fact that they now face the prospect of losing a player they spent £73million for nothing.
Former club Borussia Dortmund, who could yet try to sign him again, was one of the places Sancho spent time at. He helped them reach the 2024 Champions League final before his mediocre loan spell at Chelsea last season.
Unai Emery stance
Unai Emery clearly rates Sancho but it is not totally clear if he has intentions on signing him permanently. Villa, who are paying 80 per cent of Sancho’s wages, did not agree with United an obligation to buy clause as part of his loan but would no doubt be frontrunners if they opted to try and strike a deal at the end of the season.
Reports in September claimed that Villa were already planning on making his move permanent. However, Sancho’s limited game time since his summer move has done little to suggest that is the case.
Despite this, Villa boss Emery is in no doubt when it comes to Sancho’s qualities. “When Leon Bailey left, it was a moment for us to assess the players we had identified through our scouting,” Emery said in response to being asked about the decision to sign the winger.
“We then had the opportunity to make a signing – and one of the players on our list was Jadon Sancho. He’s capable of playing on both the right and left wings, and he provides something different. He’s a good player – 25 years old – and I felt he performed very well last year at Chelsea.
“Yes, he had some problems at Manchester United, but during his time at Borussia Dortmund, he performed fantastic. He’s also played 25 times for England. He’s still young, still hungry, and has the ability to show his skills and qualities.
“Hopefully, we can bring out the best in him here. In the last few years, he’s played more on the left, but at Dortmund, he was more often on the right. Here, I see him being able to play in both of those positions.”
Sancho is set to see out the current season on loan at Villa with no break clause included, meaning United do not have the option to recall him in January.
Secret talks abroad
Sancho appears destined to leave United upon the expiration of his contract next summer, but there is a scenario in which he moves on permanently in the January transfer window.
According to a report by CaughtOffside, ‘discreet but meaningful discussions’ have taken place over the November international break between Sancho’s representatives and figureheads from Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, and Besiktas.
They have also claimed that those conversations occurred in a luxury hotel with the trio of Turkish heavyweights presenting their respective visions for Sancho.
It has also been stated that Sancho would be willing to take a pay cut from the £13million per season he currently earns.
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