Chelsea have signed winger, Jadon Sancho, on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season. The deal includes an obligation to buy for between £20-25m next summer.
Sancho joined United from German club Borussia Dortmund in 2021. However, he could not make a significant mark at Old Trafford. The English international made 83 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 12 goals and providing 6 assists.
He rejoined Dortmund on loan in January, after falling out with manager, Erik ten Hag, which led to him training away from the first team. He made 23 appearances scoring 3 goals and providing 2 assists for the German club.
The 23-year old returned to Carrington in the summer but he has been permanently exiled by the manager. He has not been in the squad for either of their Premier League games so far. The Red Devils want to move on from him and trust the new set of youngsters. Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo are have earned their place.
From Man United’s point of view, this is the best deal they could have got. The £73m forward failed to live up to expectations, it is really disappointing to see such a massive downfall for someone so talented.
Sancho is keen to redeem himself at Chelsea this season, however he must prove himself. The Blues have many options in the front which will increase competition for him. He must prove his mettle to manager Enzo Maresca.
The Englishman is also keen on making a comeback to the national side. His last appearance for the Three Lions came back in the Euros 2021. He has not been picked in the World Cup 2022 and Euro 2024 squads by Gareth Southgate.
How will Jadon Sancho replace Raheem Sterling at Chelsea?
New signing Jadon Sancho will add a lot of versatility and flair to Chelsea’s attack. His ability to play on either left or right side of the pitch makes him stand out from the rest. When Sancho was in Dortmund previously he ranked eighth for total goals and assists, across Europe’s top-five leagues.
Sancho is brave in possession, he loves to take on defenders and create chances. He has a very efficient game sense, with brilliant decision making in the final third. His pace, dribbling and vision to find the perfect pass makes him perfect replacement for Raheem Sterling, who has joined Arsenal.
The Englishman could build good chemistry with compatriot Cole Palmer, he is known to link up with midfielders, creating space for other players. With Cucurella on the left, he can also compliment Sancho with overlapping runs. He is a decent addition to Enzo Maresca’s squad, the winger’s age is his best weapon. He is still in his youth, and can make a comeback with the right mentality.
As per data from Opta, Sancho averages a passing accuracy of 83.3% per 90 minutes. He creates around 2.36 chances per game and has a cross accuracy of 34.5%. In a club like Chelsea, good crossing ability is a trait which will help the team a lot. He completes 4 dribbles per 90 minutes, he also contributes defensively as he has a 80% successful tackles won per game.
Sancho making a mistake joining the Blues? Former Premier league star gives warning
Jadon Sancho was keen to leave United after falling out of favour under Ten Hag. He struggled to find his best form at the club, which led to him being exiled from the national team as well. He was told that there are many players at his position, therefore he would not get any playing time.
Former Premier League defender, Michael Dawson, believes it is a mistake for Sancho to join Chelsea and has questioned whether he will even be a regular starter at his new club. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said,
“It’s a surprising move for me when I look at the players already at Chelsea in that wide area, Jadon Sancho is a good player, let’s not forget that. He was a superstar at Borussia Dortmund, he went to United and it didn’t work out for him. But to go to Chelsea, why will it be any different there? Where’s he going to play? I honestly thought he needed to go somewhere where he was going to play. I think he’s the kind of player that wants to be playing week in, week out.“
The English winger will undergo his medical tests soon and will likely make his debut for the Blues against Bournemouth on 15th September, after the international break.
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