Jadon Sancho’s disappointing run with Manchester United finally came to an end this summer, with the player leaving at the end of his contract. The Englishman’s arrival at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2021 created a lot of hype, but he never lived up to expectations.
Sancho rose through the ranks at Manchester City, but left before breaking into the senior side in 2017 to join Borussia Dortmund. That decision proved to be the turning point in the Englishman’s career.
Sancho exploded at Signal Iduna Park, helping the team win the DFB Pokal and the DFL Supercup. His efforts turned heads at Old Trafford, where then manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was looking to add more firepower to an already impressive attacking trident.
Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood were running riot under the Norwegian, and Sancho was expected to add another dimension to the Red Devils’ attack. United spent a small fortune on his signature, hoping that a former City graduate could fuel their rise to the top. Unfortunately, it was not to be.
Sancho’s disappointing spell at United
Sancho’s first season oversaw managerial turmoil, with Solskjaer losing his job and Ralf Rangnick coming in to steady the ship. The Englishman’s arrival was largely overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo’s second coming at Old Trafford, and he ended the campaign with five goals and three assists in 38 appearances.
Sancho displayed isolated bursts of brilliance under Erik ten Hag, who took charge in the summer of 2022, but had a public spat with the Dutchman ahead of the 2023/24 season. That incident saw him banished from first-team training and the player returned to the Signal Iduna Park in January 2024 in a brief loan spell.
Sancho and Ten Hag temporarily resolved their differences in the summer of 2024, but the player ended up joining Chelsea on a season-long loan with a purchase obligation. However, the Englishman failed to impress at Stamford Bridge, prompting the Blues to pay a reported £5 million penalty to nullify the buy option in his deal.
The 26 year old had no place in Ruben Amorim’s revolution at Old Trafford last summer, and was sent out on loan to Aston Villa. Sancho finished the campaign with one goal and three assists in 39 appearances across all competitions, 18 of which were starts.
Jadon Sancho Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 23 | 9 | – | 2 | – | – | 873′ |
| UEFA Europa League | 13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 688′ |
| FA Cup | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 37′ |
| EFL Cup | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 74′ |
| Total | 39 | 18 | 1 | 3 | – | – | 1,672′ |
Source: Transfermarkt.
The Birmingham club opted against signing him permanently at the end of the season, marking another embarrassing chapter in the player’s career. With his United deal expiring this summer, Sancho is yet to join a club, although there have been reports of interest from Borussia Dortmund and Al-Rayyan. It now appears that a new suitor has entered the race.
Fiorentina eyeing Sancho
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Fiorentina are ready to offer Sancho a chance to get his career back on track. The report states: “Fabio Paratici (Fiorentina sporting director) is very keen on the winger, a former Manchester United player who was at Aston Villa last year; he knows him well and is a big fan of his.”
“For this reason, the club is considering making an offer to the player, who is currently a free agent following the end of his contract with the Red Devils and a series of loan spells that did not result in a permanent transfer.”
The report adds that the Tuscan club have offered the player a three-year deal and a response is expected soon, adding: “A three-year deal is reportedly on the table, with a lower salary than what he was earning up until last season (around 10 million euros net), and an agreement is expected to be reached.”
“Sancho has not yet given an answer, but he is expected to make up his mind in the coming hours: a year ago, he turned down a move to Roma – despite Gian Piero Gasperini having specifically requested him from Massara – only to remain in the Premier League. Now, he is likely to opt for a different league.”
The report confirms Borussia Dortmund’s interest, and adds that the Bundesliga club have already submitted an offer for the player, which could pose a challenge to Fiorentina’s plans.
Final Thoughts
Sancho was one of several transfer decisions that United got wrong in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. INEOS, however, enjoyed tremendous success with their transfer activity last summer, and fans will hope that trend continues this summer.
The Red Devils have signed Youri Tielemans, Karl Darlow and Andrey Santos so far, but remain on the hunt for more additions. While Sancho’s time at Old Trafford is over, the Premier League giants remain in the market for attacking reinforcements this year.
The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment
Overall credibility: 7/10
Why?
✅ Reported by a source with a strong Manchester United track record.
⚠️ No official bid has yet been reported.
TPP view
We believe Fiorentina’s interest is genuine, but reports suggesting a deal is close appear premature.
Featured image Gareth Copley via Getty Images
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Deepungsu Pandit
Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.
