AS Roma are refusing to give up hope of securing a last-minute deal to sign Jadon Sancho with Manchester United desperate to shift the 25-year-old winger before the end of the transfer window.
Money over all
There has been considerable interest in Sancho from a host of clubs in Serie A this summer.
Napoli and Juventus made advances towards signing the Englishman but both Italian heavyweights preferred a loan move – with United instead actively pushing for a permanent exit.
Sancho’s refusal to compromise on his wage packet at Old Trafford, which led to the breakdown of a transfer to Chelsea as the Blues were unwilling to match his salary demands, has proven a difficult obstacle for his suitors to overcome.
There were links with another return to Borussia Dortmund, who United signed Sancho from in 2021 for £73 million, but this never progressed into anything tangible.
Similarly, there has been interest from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but Sancho is unwilling to entertain these offers, though both the transfer window in both countries remains open later than the rest of Europe, suggesting a deal may yet be struck if no alternative is found before September 1.
But it is Roma who have advanced in negotiations the furthest after agreeing a £20 million deal with United on a loan with an obligation to buy clause.
However, Sancho rejected this offer, despite Roma manager Gian Gasperini personally calling the winger to try and convince him to complete the switch to the Italian capital.
Renewed hope in Rome
With Monday’s deadline fast approaching, Roma are now ready to make a second attempt for Sancho with an improved offer to unblock the impasse, according to the i Paper.
“Roma are still pushing to sign Jadon Sancho ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline, even though the Manchester United outcast has already rejected the Italian giants once.
“The i Paper has been told Sancho has already turned down the opportunity to end his Old Trafford nightmare, with United having accepted a £20m offer from the Giallorossi.
“That has not deterred Roma, however, who are planning to return with another offer, one that would have to be more attractive to the player, before the transfer window closes.”
Sancho is said to have turned down the first offer to “pursue other options” but, predictably, these have not materialised for a player whose reputation has tanked in recent years.
The report reveals a source close to Sancho has admitted the winger remaining at Old Trafford “cannot be ruled out,” despite the Red Devils not even allocating him a number ahead of the new season.
United are said to even be considering triggering the automatic twelve month extension in Sancho’s contract, which is set to expire next summer at present, to “ensure he doesn’t leave on a free next summer.”
“United would then look at loaning Sancho out again, if they cannot move him on permanently, which they are desperate to do. Roma appear to be the only hope of shifting the forward who takes home around £300,000-a-week in wages.”
Speaking in a press-conference today ahead of Roma’s trip to play Pisa, Gasperini was asked about the prospect of signing Sancho.
“Call him if you have his number,” the Italian manager joked. “You seem to know everything. I don’t know what the margins are now.”
“Sancho is a possibility, we are a possibility for him. If that is not the case, he’ll stay where he is. He would be a huge boost for us, but we would be an enormous opportunity for him. Not sure if it can still happen, but we don’t have to pray someone to come here.”
Whether Sancho can be convinced of the “enormous opportunity” a switch to a major European side presents, at a time when virtually no one else wants to take a risk on him, remains to be seen.
History tells us the only factor which will sway his decision will be what his bank statement looks like come September 1.
Featured image Justin Setterfield 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.
