Chelsea will reportedly have to pay a penalty price of £5m if they renege on their obligation to sign Jadon Sancho in the summer transfer window.
Sancho fell out with previous United boss Erik ten Hag in 2023-24 and was sent out on loan to Borussia Dortmund in the January window of 2024 before signing for the Blues on loan in the summer of last year.
Enzo Maresca's side have an obligation to buy the 24-year-old for a fee of £25m, but the Englishman has failed to impress in recent months.
His poor form has led to speculation that Chelsea could back out of their obligation to sign the winger, but The Athletic claims that doing so would entail the Blues paying a penalty sum of £5m.
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Should Chelsea sign Sancho?
Chelsea have struggled to break down opponents in the final third in recent weeks, with the likes of Cole Palmer failing to make much of an impact.
One of the reasons for Palmer's poor form has been the lack of runners around him following the injury to Nicolas Jackson, and that has led to limited threat in behind opposition defences.
Sancho is not particularly athletic or explosive and prefers instead to combine in small spaces before releasing passes to his teammates.
It is perhaps not surprising that the Englishman has only managed to score two goals and provide one assist in his last 20 Premier League games.
Though Chelsea would prefer not to have to pay such a penalty sum, there is an argument it would be riskier for them to take the gamble on Sancho's talent and pay £25m than to part with £5m.
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Is there a future for Sancho at United?
It would be surprising if Sancho was able to repair his career at United, especially as he has seemingly burnt his bridges with fans following his social media swipe at the club in February.
The winger is comfortable enough on the ball to play as one of the two attacking midfielders in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system, but United also lack runners like Chelsea.
An exit from Old Trafford would likely be best for all parties, but if the Blues back out of their agreement, it is difficult to see another club taking the risk to sign him permanently.
However, Sancho's contract at United expires in the summer of 2026, so perhaps he will have the freedom to pick and choose his destination at the end of next season.
Lewis Nolan
