Why Man Utd have NO regrets over Sancho transfer despite Chelsea form

Suraj Radia

• 29 Sept 2024 12:00 BST
• 4 min read

Jadon Sancho’s impressive start to life at Chelsea has prompted inevitable questions over Manchester United’s decision to get rid of him, however Erik ten Hag should have no regrets about the situation.

Sancho has netted three assists in his opening three appearances for Chelsea, already equalling his best-ever totals in any of his Premier League seasons at Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old left United on deadline day to join Chelsea in a loan that is likely to become permanent for around €25 million, having joined the Red Devils for €85m in 2021.

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Despite seemingly burying the hatchet with Ten Hag after a public fall-out with the United boss last season, Sancho never fully gained his manager’s trust and left the club with little protest.

The move allowed Sancho to return to London, where he grew up, and play for the team he supported as a child, all while playing under a manager he is familiar with an who, crucially, has faith in his talents.

Sancho was essentially never going to succeed at United after infuriating the club and Ten Hag with his attitude off-the-pitch and inconsistent displays on it, leaving Chelsea to benefit from picking up the pieces of a talented player seeking a fresh start.

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For United, Sancho’s ability was never in question, hence why the club believed they had pulled off a coup with his signature despite the steep outlay – the question marks came over the forward’s professionalism and reliability in tough times.

United were desperate for Sancho to succeed and even gave the youngster time away from the squad in 2022 to focus on his mental and physical health, in the hopes it would help get the best out of him.

However, despite a bright start upon his return to the first team, Sancho’s form eventually fizzled out and it was not long before his performances in training were being questioned by Ten Hag, with the public criticism proving to be the breaking point in the pair’s relationship.

There had also been reports that Sancho was reluctant to play on the right wing, leaving the England international competing with Marcus Rashford on the left – a battle he wasn’t likely to win given his teammate’s form at the time.

Sancho’s alleged poor timekeeping was also an issue at Dortmund but, crucially, his performances prompted the German side to make special allowances despite their initial disappointment at his professionalism.

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Ultimately there were a plethora of reasons why Sancho’s exit from Old Trafford was necessary and, perhaps, plenty of evidence to suggest that his bright start at Chelsea may not last.

However, Sancho deserves credit for his attitude so far at Chelsea and the Blues will hope that Enzo Maresca’s style of play will prove expansive enough for the winger to succeed and keep him motivated to turn his form into a new beginning in his career.