Jadon Sancho is turning down European clubs as the Manchester United winger prefers to follow the American dream, according to a report from Italy.
The Player Who Cannot Be Sold
United are desperate to sell Sancho in the final week of the summer window as the 25-year-old’s contract at Old Trafford runs out next year.
United retain the right to extend this by twelve months if they choose, but there is zero appetite to prolong Sancho’s stay in Manchester from either the club or player.
A move to Italy has been the most likely exit throughout the summer with Juventus, Napoli, and AS Roma all making advances to sign the Englishman.
But it was Roma who progressed a deal the furthest, offering a loan with an obligation to buy worth around £20 million – music to the ears of United’s executive branch, who duly accepted the proposal.
There was also interest from Turkey, however, with Besiktas – currently managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the manager who brought Sancho to Old Trafford – identifying the winger as a key target.
Sancho has rebuffed all of these advances, however, with the prevailing view being he is more interested in maintaining his wage packet with the Red Devils.
Furthermore, if Sancho was to run down his contract until next year, he would be able to command an even better deal for himself financially on the free agent market than he may be able to muster this summer.
However, there may be another reason for Sancho’s choices – and it has very little to do with football.
The American Dream
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (as relayed by GOAL) contends Sancho’s “career choices” are being influenced by his “rumoured relationship with American rapper Saweetie.”
Sancho is said to have travelled to various cities in the US where the rapper is performing on multiple occasions in recent months.
The report states the winger is “considering ending his European football career prematurely, specifically to move to America,” suggesting the MLS could be the league he wishes to call home next year.
From United’s perspective, they will not care where Sancho ends up, simply that is not at Old Trafford with his exorbitant wage packet – believed to be in excess of £200,000 a week – heading through the exit door with him.
Featured image Ryan Pierse 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.
