Manchester United have reached an agreement to loan Jadon Sancho to Aston Villa – and, with less than eight hours remaining of the summer transfer window, it is likely the best deal they could have struck.
Straight loan to Villa
As relayed by The Peoples Person here, Sancho is set to join Villa on loan for the 2025/26 campaign after the Midlands side launched a late pursuit of the 25-year-old winger.
The move has been confirmed by both David Ornstein (The Athletic) and Fabrizio Romano, with only official confirmation from both clubs left to come.
Fresh details have emerged over the exact nature of the loan, however, with Villa agreeing to pay 80% of Sancho’s wage packet – believed to be worth in excess of £200,000-a-week – which could reach full coverage with bonuses, according to Dharmesh Sheth (Sky Sports).
Deal agreed in principle. Straight loan. Aston Villa will pay a loan fee and a guarantee of 80% of his wages. Bonuses – if met – could cover all his wages. Manchester United contract up next summer. United have one year option. #MUFC #AVFC https://t.co/eFZI4pncF7
— Dharmesh Sheth (@skysports_sheth) September 1, 2025
Tweet: “Deal agreed in principle. Straight loan. Aston Villa will pay a loan fee and a guarantee of 80% of his wages. Bonuses – if met – could cover all his wages. Manchester United contract up next summer. United have one year option. #MUFC #AVFC.”
The deal is described as a “straight loan,” implying there is no buy option or obligation included. United will also receive a fee as part of the arrangement.
The most important part is simply that Sancho is no longer at Old Trafford, however. It brings an end to a dreadful four-year stint at the club following his £73 million move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021.
The worst signing in recent memory?
Sancho arrived at Old Trafford amidst a wave of excitement and positivity, bringing an end to a two-year pursuit by the Red Devils.
The skilful winger was considered one of the best young talents in Europe having taken the Bundesliga by storm in a Dortmund shirt.
And he was projected to form the final piece of an all-English attacking triumvirate alongside Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood – the Three Lions of United’s forward line. But theory rarely translates to practice, particularly in a cursed horror house like the Theatre of Dreams.
For very different reasons, all three players will play away from United this season following Sancho’s loan move to Villa. Greenwood joined Marseille last year and Rashford completed his own loan switch to Barcelona earlier in the summer.
But the latter two players were Carrington Academy graduates who cost the club nothing but emotional turmoil. Sancho has induced his own sense of collective despair at United – but it cost £73m to do so.
There have been more expensive mistakes in the market – Antony’s £81m capture from Ajax chief among them – but there is no other player in this writer’s memory who cared for football as little as Sancho.
The 25-year-old is solely concerned with his wage packet – the main hindrance to a move to Italy earlier in the window, despite interest from Napoli, Juventus, and AS Roma.
It is little surprise he has waited until deadline day as it has forced United’s hand to accept a loan proposal, when the club’s preference was a permanent exit, which ensures full coverage – be it by Villa entirely, or supplemented by the Red Devils – of his salary.
Ostensibly, Sancho wants to play – but only if he is paid every penny he believes he is entitled to do so. Without being paid, he is happy not to play.
And that is the strongest argument one can make for United’s worst signing; a footballer whose primary interest has nothing to do with football.
Featured image Richard Heathcote via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
