Chelsea could be forced to pay millions of pounds to Manchester United if they decide to pull out of their agreement to sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal this summer. The winger joined Chelsea on loan from United on the final day of the summer transfer window, with an obligation for the Blues to buy him for a fee between £20m and £25m, depending on their league position, provided they finish 14th or higher this season.
Currently sitting in fourth place, 15 points clear of 14th-place Tottenham, Chelsea are comfortably above the threshold required to make the purchase. However, doubts have emerged over whether Chelsea are still interested in going through with the deal.
Should Chelsea decide not to proceed with the permanent transfer, they would need to pay United a significant portion of the agreed transfer fee to back out of the deal and send Sancho back to Old Trafford. Despite the obligation to buy, Chelsea now find themselves weighing the risks of completing the deal, given Sancho’s recent form.
Sancho, who arrived at United in 2021 for a hefty £73m from Borussia Dortmund, has struggled to find his form at Chelsea. He has scored just two goals in 29 games for the club, with none in his last 19 appearances. Additionally, he has not registered an assist for two months, further adding to the doubts surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge. While Chelsea’s management may have had high hopes for the England international, his lack of contributions in recent months has caused uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Chelsea has been busy strengthening other areas of their squad. The club has already agreed to sign Sporting CP winger Geovany Quenda and has secured the Brazilian teenager Estevao Willian, who will arrive at Stamford Bridge in the summer after being loaned back to Palmeiras. This influx of new talent could push Sancho further down the pecking order at Chelsea.
Sancho’s time at Manchester United has been equally turbulent. Since joining from Dortmund for £73m, his time at Old Trafford has been marked by periods of exclusion and disappointment. The winger made only one appearance for United since August 2023, as former manager Erik ten Hag exiled him from first-team training for four months. After a challenging season, Sancho was sent on loan to Chelsea, with United agreeing to pay part of his considerable salary during the loan spell.
Despite these issues, United had hoped to offload Sancho to Chelsea in a permanent deal to raise funds for their summer transfer activities. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently listed Sancho among the club’s high earners who are unavailable to manager Ruben Amorim, further indicating that United is eager to move him on. However, with Chelsea’s indecision, United’s plans may be disrupted, and they will now have to find alternative ways to fund their summer spending.
The situation remains fluid, with Chelsea needing to make a final decision on whether to proceed with the permanent signing of Sancho or face the financial consequences of backing out. If they do choose to walk away from the deal, it could have a significant financial impact, but the ongoing uncertainty about Sancho’s form and future means that the decision will be a difficult one for the club.