Ever since he started to light up the Bundesliga and Champions League with stellar performances for Borussia Dortmund, English fans have been eagerly awaiting the inevitable homecoming of Jadon Sancho.
The former Manchester City academy player left England in 2017 for a fee of £8 million and has routinely lived up to the mammoth expectations set by his Messi-esque records. A winger who can do it all, Sancho is set for a bright future at both club and international level.
The question remains: when Sancho does eventually return to the Premier League, which club will he find himself at? This is one of the most hotly debated topics in English football today, and we’re going to try and find a resolution.
Manchester United
If media reports are to be believed, Jadon Sancho will be a Manchester United player by the time the 2020/21 season rolls around.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have made considerable improvements in the last few months, particularly since the restart of the Premier League and fans have made it no secret they’d love to see Sancho added to what is already a potent attacking force.
In many ways, Sancho is a natural fit for the Red Devils. He’s English, young and full of pace and precision in equal measure — all qualities Solskjaer has looked for in his attacking signings for the club. It’s also well documented that Sancho is good friends with United first-team players and academy graduates Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard, which could be a heavy draw to the club for the Englishman (and give Lingard an opportunity to salvage his career at United).
By all accounts, this is a move that the player wants as much as the club, and it’s only a matter of agreeing to a fee to get it over the line. What better way for Sancho to twist the knife against Manchester City and Pep Guardiola than leading the charge for their rejuvenated rivals.
Potential – 9/10: The most likely outcome, but United will have to break the bank like never before. A quick look at the odds set on the best betting sites listed on OnlineCasinos.co.uk will give you an indication of how close this is to happening.
Chelsea
Frank Lampard’s side hardly needs more attacking options, but, like any Premier League club, they’d be stupid to pass up the chance to sign Sancho.
With Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech set to join a youthful attack that already includes Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham, it’s hard to see a place for Sancho at Chelsea. However, should the Blues qualify for the Champions League, they present a great opportunity for Sancho to get everything he could want out of a return to England.
After a transfer ban last Summer and significant income from the deals to sell Eden Hazard and Álvaro Morata, Chelsea find themselves in the unique position of being a very financially stable club coming out of the coronavirus pandemic. Potentially the only side, other than Man United, who could afford the reported £100 million price tag for Sancho.
We’re not saying this is a good idea for Chelsea (they desperately need to focus on their defense) or even the player, but Sancho would not be at all out of place in this Chelsea side. Lampard has shown his faith in English players, could he risk it all on another?
Potential – 6/10: Sancho is not what Chelsea need right now, but would the London boy turn down the chance for a proper homecoming?
Arsenal
This may look like an odd choice if you’ve been watching Arsenal’s performances in the Premier League over the last couple of years, but it’s not impossible to imagine Sancho turning up at the Emirates in the near future.
Yes, the Gunners are not quite the powerhouse club they once were during the glory days of Arsene Wenger, but under new manager Mikel Arteta we’re starting to see the first rumblings of a revolution.
Results are starting to get on track, and a positive first 8 months in charge has given Arteta license to build the team in his image. Should high-value players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil leave there will be sufficient funds available to put in an offer for Sancho. If the English winger wants to become part of an exciting rebuilding project in need of a talisman, there are few better choices out there.
Most interestingly, and key to making this a possibility, Arteta already has a relationship with the player. The Spaniard will know him from his time at Manchester City, where he was assistant to Pep Guardiola and watched the player slip through his fingers. Any relationship between the two could only help Arsenal at the bargaining table.
Potential – 4/10: A lot of ifs and buts required to make this a possibility. An interesting prospect for Sancho to consider, but surely Champions League football is essential.
Newcastle United
This final option is totally reliant on one event, the sale of Newcastle United from Mike Ashley to Mohammed Bin Salman going through without a hitch.
Such a deal would put Newcastle over the top as the richest club in the land, with potentially endless access to the Saudi royal families lavish riches, a sum matched only by their sporting ambition. It would totally transform the club overnight, giving them the opportunity to flex some serious muscles in the transfer market.
Is there a better marquee signing the Magpies could make than Jadon Sancho? Fans may want French star Kylian Mbappe, but they need to be realistic. As an ambitious Englishman not afraid to try something different, as his stint in Germany as just a teenager suggests, Sancho may be drawn to the idea of becoming the figurehead of a new era for Newcastle. Just signing for the club would put him in greater standing amongst the Geordies than any player brought in throughout the last decade.
While it would be risky for Sancho to bet his future on a project barely finding its feet (remember how long it took Manchester City to really take off after their purchase?), Newcastle could be the low-pressure option. Expectations would be managed, and as a young player, Sancho would be given time to grow into the role of team leader. At just 20, he has plenty of opportunities to move on should the Newcastle project be a bust.
Potential – 3/10: Entirely reliant on the club being sold. Either way, Sancho likely has ideas above Newcastle for the time being.
Having analyzed his options a transfer to the red side of Manchester looks most likely for Sancho. The Englishman could surprise us all though and stay in Germany, or completely bypass England and head for one of Spain’s mega clubs. The possibilities are endless for the young player with the world at his feet.
