Jadon Sancho (confirmed loan signing)

[Dave]

If we want him and he wants to come they may take up the option, charge us say 20m which we're prepared to pay and they get gree money.

And we say "actually we're not paying you anything, we'll move on to other targets thanks", and they've signed up for another year of paying Jadon Sancho.

Of course it's not impossible. But in much the same way as if we'd had the option to extend Countinho's contract by a year, we probably didn't need to spend too much time wondering on here whether we planned to extend it in the hope of getting a transfer fee for him.

[eamonn]

Sancho may attract more attention on the back of a good season and being younger/less broken than Coutinho.

[brontebilly]

I read somewhere that Chelsea were actually happy to sign him on a perm but couldn't agree terms with him after his loan period ended. Not sure how true that is, could they have been more than £5m apart (the penalty fee Chelsea had to pay ManUre for sending him back) ?

I think it is true to be fair. I saw very little of Chelsea last season bar our games but reports on his performances were generally positive. I can also see why Chelsea would have prioritised the likes of Neto over him. But Chelsea were setup perfectly for him, a team that like to own the ball. If he truly cared about his career he would have gone there permanently.

Afterwards he couldn't agree terms with Roma, odd really as Gasperini again would have suited him. They moved onto Bailey.

So why he now thinks, desperation aside, that he could fit with Emery is very odd for both parties. We don't really play with wingers as Malen's struggles highlight. But he could be very useful against a low block, the type we have been utterly clueless against in recent weeks. A bit of a poor man's Grealish but he does have an excellent touch, nice weight of pass and is very skilful. He's one of those that's quicker with the ball than without and will need an overlapping full back outside him.

It's a classic deadline day signing, the kind of business you hoped we were past even considering. Sometimes they work I guess but chances of this one are low enough.

[PeterWithesShin]

There will be months for the clubs to negotiate it, if they want to. If he does really well we aren't going to say, no thanks we aren't paying 15m, we'll go and sign someone who may not settle for 40m.

It really doesn't matter if anyone thinks it's likely to happen or not, it's still an option that could happen.

[Dave]

Sancho may attract more attention on the back of a good season and being younger/less broken than Coutinho.

He might, but if he's seeing his contract extended then it's his current terms that are in play, not those that "free agent, Jadon Sancho would be in a position to negotiate for himself. 

Jadon Sancho on a free transfer and no £250k per week contract to meet? Plenty of takers I imagine. Jadon Sancho signed for a transfer fee with a £250k weekly wage? I'm optimistic for his time with us, but that strikes me as not something to lose much sleep over.

I mean, I'm all for it. If we're willing to pay Man Utd a transfer fee and offer Sancho loads more in wages than we would if he were joining us (or anyone else) on a free then it suggests he's just come off one of the most spectcular seasons imaginable.

[Dave]

It really doesn't matter if anyone thinks it's likely to happen or not, it's still an option that could happen.

Sure, if you like. Maybe something will happen that means Man Utd will decide to pay a player they've been trying to force out their club for the last three years another £13m that they don't have to.

[Rigadon]

Having watched the highlights reel, I'm more hopeful. Genuinely can't remember seeing him play a game aside from Chelsea highlights.  If Emery can get the best from him, he could be amazing I guess.  Reasons to be optimistic. 

[PeterWithesShin]

It really doesn't matter if anyone thinks it's likely to happen or not, it's still an option that could happen.

Sure, if you like. Maybe something will happen that means Man Utd will decide to pay a player they've been trying to force out their club for the last three years another £13m that they don't have to.

Again, the clubs will have time to negotiate that scenario. Should they want to. His loan will have long finished before they have to extend the contract.
He may be shit and it's never an option and ManU can't bin him off fast enough and neither can we, he may be very good and it is then an option for them to explore. We may say "yes, 10m we'll do that to guarantee him", or "no thanks we'll take our chances". They'd be insane not to try, although it's ManU so anything is possible.

[paul_e]

It really doesn't matter if anyone thinks it's likely to happen or not, it's still an option that could happen.

Sure, if you like. Maybe something will happen that means Man Utd will decide to pay a player they've been trying to force out their club for the last three years another £13m that they don't have to.

Again, the clubs will have time to negotiate that scenario. Should they want to. His loan will have long finished before they have to extend the contract.
He may be shit and it's never an option and ManU can't bin him off fast enough and neither can we, he may be very good and it is then an option for them to explore. We may say "yes, 10m we'll do that to guarantee him", or "no thanks we'll take our chances". They'd be insane not to try, although it's ManU so anything is possible.

His loan ends on the same day as his contract, June 30th, because that's how the registration system is setup.

[PeterWithesShin]

I meant his playing time.

[cdbearsfan]

If we want him and he wants to come they may take up the option, charge us say 20m which we're prepared to pay and they get gree money.

And we say "actually we're not paying you anything, we'll move on to other targets thanks", and they've signed up for another year of paying Jadon Sancho.

Of course it's not impossible. But in much the same way as if we'd had the option to extend Countinho's contract by a year, we probably didn't need to spend too much time wondering on here whether we planned to extend it in the hope of getting a transfer fee for him.

No, because the loaning club were only paying a fraction of his salary. Had the situation been more like Sancho, where we would likely get more money by retaining a player than letting him go, we would probably have done so.

If it becomes obvious they'll make more money by retaining him, why would they not do so? The only risk would be if they choose to extend his contract then he has a catastrophic loss of form or injury and they're lumbered with him. But I see no reason why they couldn't wait until twenty minutes before his contract expires before exercising their option, just in case.

[PeterWithesShin]

We'll realistically know by spring if he's someone we want to keep or not. If he's very good until then, a drop off won't change much. Neither will if he's crap until March and has 2 good months to end. The only variable is injuries, as it's us I predict November for his head falling off.

[Drummond]

We can say nowt, ManU can either gamble and extend hoping someone will pay, or let it lapse and get him off the books. We have. A year to plan what we want to do.

Anyway, his first interview is interesting.

Jadon Sancho says he was inspired to join Aston Villa by Unai Emery’s plans for the club this season.

The 25-year-old completed a season-long loan from Manchester United on Deadline Day and now aims to help Villa fight on four fronts in the campaign ahead.

Positive dialogue with Emery was a key factor in Sancho’s decision to move to B6.

“When I spoke to the manager he gave me belief and confidence,” he said during his first interview with VillaTV.

“He showed me the plan of what they want to achieve this year and it really inspired me. 

“He definitely persuaded me, and I can’t wait to work under him.”

Sancho brings plenty of talent and experience to the Villa squad after representing a number of Europe’s top clubs in his career to date.

He scored in the final to help Chelsea lift the UEFA Europa Conference League last season, and he’s keen to challenge for more honours during his time as a Villan

“As a player and especially as a team, we have to be achieving big things,” he said.

“We have to be looking towards that, and hopefully I can help the team to achieve some of those goals.

“The team comes first, so whenever the manager needs me I’ll be ready.”

Sancho added: “I’ve got individual goals, but my main goal is for the team.

“Achieving something as a team is much more special than individually.

“I feel like all players have individual goals, but the team always comes first.

“I’ll be looking to achieve goals with the team firstA familiar face and former teammate was waiting to greet him on arrival at Bodymoor Heath, with Victor Lindelöf having signed earlier on Monday.

Sancho also knows Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers, Ian Maatsen and Donyell Malen, having played alongside them internationally and domestically.

The winger believes those bonds will help him settle quickly into a club which received a glowing reference from Marcus Rashford, who enjoyed a positive spell in claret and blue last term.

Sancho said: “I spoke to him while he was here last season and I know he really enjoyed it.

“He said so many lovely things about the club, like how it’s a family and you feel that friendly environment with great players and staff.

“I definitely felt that as I came in.”


I do wonder whether what we read about him is true. He gets a tough time from the press, and maybe they just have something against him, as they did with Sterling.

[Dave]

If we want him and he wants to come they may take up the option, charge us say 20m which we're prepared to pay and they get gree money.

And we say "actually we're not paying you anything, we'll move on to other targets thanks", and they've signed up for another year of paying Jadon Sancho.

Of course it's not impossible. But in much the same way as if we'd had the option to extend Countinho's contract by a year, we probably didn't need to spend too much time wondering on here whether we planned to extend it in the hope of getting a transfer fee for him.

No, because the loaning club were only paying a fraction of his salary. Had the situation been more like Sancho, where we would likely get more money by retaining a player than letting him go, we would probably have done so.

If it becomes obvious they'll make more money by retaining him, why would they not do so? The only risk would be if they choose to extend his contract then he has a catastrophic loss of form or injury and they're lumbered with him. But I see no reason why they couldn't wait until twenty minutes before his contract expires before exercising their option, just in case.

Because they are then making a commitment to paying him another £13m that they can avoid. And the whole plan is predicated on them receiving a transfer fee that they might not receive.

And from the player's position, every pound that Man Utd are receiving is a pound that he could be receiving instead. So in PWS's example above, where Villa and Man Utd negotiate a transfer fee (meaning we have less money to pay Sancho) ahead of time, why would Sancho agree to this? He has no say on Man Utd extending his contract, but he doesn't have to agree to the terms we then offer him.

I think we can all agree that any future contract Sancho signs will be for less money than he currently gets. So if we (or anyone else) could offer him £150k per week on a free transfer or £100k if we've had to pay a transfer fee, why would the player himself agree to the version where some of his potential money goes back to Man Utd? You just shrug, take your £250-300k per week, probably go out on loan again and roll your dice in summer 2027 having banked another £13m from Man Utd. 

And even if that isn't what you want to do, it's quite clearly what you tell Man Utd that you're going to do.

So yes, Man Utd have the right to extend his contract. And sure, if it "becomes obvious they'll make more money by retaining him" then they will.

But the circumstances in which that is the case are so vanishingly small (for all the reasons over the last few posts, but the main one is still obviously that he probably won't actually turn into Mo Salah and have half the league desperate to pay Man Utd a transfer fee) that it's not really something that I personally think is going to be a relevant issue.

[cdbearsfan]

So they will sign him if doing so means they will make more than £13 million in a transfer fee or if the combined amount they can offset in wages plus the value of a loan fee is greater than £13 million.

Fairly straightforward.

I can't see any circumstance where he tears up the league that somebody wouldn't think he was worth paying more than £13 million for, whether it was Villa or someone else.