Jadon Sancho could be on his way to Roma, but the talks haven’t been smooth. The Italian side has reached out about taking the 25-year-old forward on loan with an option to buy. Manchester United, however, is standing firm, they want a straight sale, no half measures. With the transfer window closing in fast, his future has turned into one of those stories that quietly heats up in the background, with other clubs circling and waiting to see how it plays out.
Stalemate between purchase and loan
For Roma, a loan makes sense. It gives them time to see how Sancho fits, how he adapts, without throwing big money in from the start. United sees it differently. They’re looking to claw back some of the £73 million they spent in 2021 to bring him from Borussia Dortmund. Right now, they’re asking somewhere between £20 million and £25 million, and on top of that, there’s the matter of his £250,000-a-week wages, not exactly an easy number to swallow. No one, so far, has put an offer on the table that ticks all of United’s boxes.
Juventus and Dortmund have both been linked to him as well. Dortmund, of course, knows him inside out — they’ve already taken him back on loan once before. Just last season, he was loaned out to Chelsea, where he picked up a Conference League title. Even with that win, Chelsea decided not to buy him. These back-to-back loans, without any clear resolution about his future, have made Sancho’s case messier with every transfer window that comes and goes.
Performance and current situation at United
Since landing at Old Trafford, Sancho’s played in 83 matches, scored 12 times, and set up six goals. Those numbers just haven’t matched the expectations that came with his price tag. Coaching changes haven’t helped either. Under Ruben Amorim, he’s been left out completely — not in the plans and training away from the first team. That lack of minutes is hurting his rhythm and making it even more obvious that he needs a move to somewhere he’ll actually play.
The final call might end up depending on how much time’s left before the window shuts and how willing each side is to bend. For Sancho, leaving now could be the thing that keeps his career on track and gives him the shot to get back to his best. For United, selling is the quickest way to cut the wage bill and put that money to work again. Roma’s trying to work the angle, but they’ll have to find a way to make United believe a loan can still work in their favor.