Opinion: Chelsea do the right thing by turning down chance to sign Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho

Chelsea walk away from Jadon Sancho move — here’s why it’s a good thing

According to a GiveMeSport report, Chelsea have walked away from an opportunity to sign Man United forward Jadon Sancho this summer.

After two underwhelming seasons at Old Trafford, Sancho was ostracised from the United first team by their manager, Erik ten Hag, after falling out with him at the start of the 2023/24 season, spending the remaining first half of the season training either alone or with the youth team before returning to Borussia Dortmund on loan for the second half of the season.

While back at Dortmund, Sancho under Edin Terzić quickly returned to the first team and played a key role in his side making the final of the UEFA Champions League, which they lost to Real Madrid.

Sancho’s performances during his time back in Germany has helped resuscitate his reputation to some degree, allowing United to move in on and significantly cut their losses now that they have decided to stick with Ten Hag, effectively ending Sancho’s time at Old Trafford.

Apart from Dortmund, Barcelona and Juventus have also been linked with the England international in recent weeks, along with Chelsea.

This is not the first time Chelsea took an interest in Sancho; they were in for him before his United move. This time, however, they have chosen to not move for him.

And that’s a good thing.

Already too much chaos for Sancho to find a space

Chelsea under the Todd Boehly regime have been a lot of things, but they have scarcely been reluctant to sign talented names.

This is both a blessing and a curse. Chelsea’s trigger-happy tendencies have stopped them from bringing about any meaningful change in two seasons under the new regime. With three managers dismissed and both player acquisitions and departures running in dozens, Chelsea have done everything apart from being patient and letting things run their course.

If one were to describe Chelsea in a single word, that word would be “chaos”. The last thing the club need more of, therefore, is more noise.

Chelsea are going into the 2024/25 season under yet another new manager Enzo Maresca with yet another new plan. If players are to be brought in, they need to be brought in by taking into account how they would fit the new system, but also how much of an issue they’d be off it.

Ten Hag has been vindicated in his decision to ostracise Sancho; he’s won the FA Cup after all. History tells us that managers can make hard calls like these and be reinforced in their beliefs if they deliver on the back it.

So are Chelsea really in a position where they can offer Sancho a safe space to grow at his own pace, unencumbered by outside noises? And could Chelsea really grow by taking on themselves such a responsibility?

Conclusion

The best way for Sancho to revitalise his career is by moving away from England and Manchester United. If he can get a prolonged period of support and environment like he had at both his Dortmund stints, we should likely see a thriving Sancho again soon.

Sadly, that is not what Chelsea are in a position to offer him at this point. They need to make sure they reduce the level of uncertainty for every decision they make going forward; getting Sancho would have been the opposite of that.

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Had they landed him the last time they were looking at him, maybe fortunes would be different for both Sancho and Chelsea right now, but they’re right to walk away this time, and it’s also a sign of growth on their part.