Jadon Sancho’s exit from Manchester United remains uncertain, despite two major Serie A clubs, Juventus and Napoli, meeting the Red Devils’ £25 million valuation. The main obstacle? His hefty wages of £250,000 per week.
The 25-year-old winger has struggled to justify his £73m price tag since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, recording only 83 appearances for United.
A falling out with Erik ten Hag led to back-to-back loan spells at Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea. Although Sancho featured in 41 games for the Blues last season, the club chose not to activate their option to sign him permanently.
Sancho is now back at United with just one year left on his contract. While both parties agree on the need for a fresh start, United are adamant about a permanent transfer rather than another loan deal.
Juventus and Napoli are both keen on signing the England international and have already opened communication with United. Napoli have met with the player’s representatives, and Juventus have reportedly scheduled a video call with United to finalize terms.
However, both Italian sides are reluctant to match Sancho’s current salary, pushing instead for a loan with wage-sharing—a proposal United are not keen to entertain. Reports have even suggested that Juventus could offer striker Dusan Vlahovic in a swap deal, but no agreement has been reached.
Sancho’s recent Premier League record hasn’t helped his case either. Last season, he netted just three goals and four assists in 19 appearances. Prior to that, he failed to register a goal or assist during his short Dortmund loan and scored only six goals in the 2022/23 season.
Fenerbahce, now under the management of Jose Mourinho, have also made an inquiry but haven’t progressed further.
Amid these complications, pundit Danny Murphy believes Chelsea made a mistake by not signing Sancho permanently. Highlighting the player’s technical ability and potential, Murphy described a £25m fee for Sancho as “great value.”
While Manchester United are eager to finalize a sale before the new season begins, the impasse over wages could keep the unsettled winger in limbo unless a compromise is reached.