United Beyond Manchester

Jadon Sancho could be handed a lifeline by Bayer Leverkusen as Chelsea refuse to pay his obligation-to-buy clause.

Chelsea is expected to pay Manchester United £5 million to forgo the permanent signing of Jadon Sancho. The 25-year-old winger has experienced another challenging season in the Premier League, this time on loan at the London club. In 30 appearances, Sancho has scored three goals and provided four assists, and he currently has the lowest crossing percentage in the league.

According to The Sun, Bayer Leverkusen are interested in bringing Sancho back to Germany, where he emerged as a top talent at Borussia Dortmund. While his former Bundesliga club is also pursuing him, Sancho is likelier to move to Leverkusen, as the club’s recent success has put them in a superior financial position.

At Borussia Dortmund, Sancho scored 53 goals and registered 67 assists in 158 appearances. He helped the club win the German Cup in 2020/2021 and the German Super Cup in 2019/2020. His impressive performances earned an €85 million move to Manchester United, where he failed to live up to the hype.

Sancho will be available for around £20 million this summer, as Manchester United look to offload the struggling winger to fund other transfers. If he is not sold this summer, he risks wasting a year on the bench at Old Trafford.

One significant issue for clubs will be the salary negotiations. Manchester United currently pays Jadon Sancho £250,000 per week, meaning he would need to accept a pay cut to move away from Manchester. However, with the World Cup approaching next year, Sancho is likely to agree to these terms as he aims to catch the attention of Thomas Tuchel.