Jadon Sancho’s Future in Question Amid Injury and Transfer Speculation

Speculation over the weekend has suggested that Jadon Sancho could be on the verge of a return to Borussia Dortmund for a third stint with the German club. Sancho initially joined the Bundesliga powerhouse from Manchester City in 2017, quickly establishing himself as a pivotal player.

In 2021, Manchester United acquired Sancho for a reported £73 million ($97 million), hoping to recapture his form from Dortmund. Unfortunately, the winger struggled to find his footing at Old Trafford and subsequently returned to Signal Iduna Park for a brief period in 2024 after facing challenges under then-United head coach Erik ten Hag. During this time, he played a crucial role in Dortmund’s advancement to the Champions League final.

Last season, the 25-year-old was loaned to Chelsea, but the London club opted not to exercise their option to make the move permanent, resulting in a £5 million penalty paid to United.

Sancho’s current contract with Manchester United is set to expire this summer, paving the way for a potential third spell at Dortmund should he become a free agent.

At present, Sancho is focused on completing the season with Aston Villa, although he missed the matchday squad for their recent home game against Everton. Villa manager Unai Emery clarified the situation, stating, “He is sick,” when questioned by Sky Sports regarding Sancho’s absence.

Aston Villa suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to David Moyes’ Everton, with Thierno Barry’s second-half goal proving decisive. This result means that Villa has secured only one win in their last four league matches, leaving them seven points behind league leaders Arsenal, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

On the other hand, Everton’s win at Villa Park moved them up to 10th place in the league, marking a recovery from their disappointing FA Cup exit at the hands of Sunderland the previous weekend. The victory is particularly impressive considering Everton was missing eight players due to injuries and suspensions. While Jack Grealish returned from a ban to face his former club, the Toffees were without suspended defender Michael Keane and injured players Charly Alcaraz, Seamus Coleman, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Tim Iroegbunam. Additionally, Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye are currently representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Moyes acknowledged the need for more players as the January transfer window approaches its conclusion. “The reality hasn’t changed. We’ve said all along, we’re looking, we’re trying,” he stated. “It’s not like we’ve shut ourselves off from the transfer window. We need players more than ever and we probably need them as soon as possible if we could make that happen. But more than likely, this month is never done particularly quickly, so we’re still looking. I’m not sure we will get anything but we’re trying.”

Sancho is hopeful for a full recovery from his illness, aiming to return to Emery’s squad for Villa’s upcoming away clash against Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday. Following that, Villa will face Newcastle in Premier League action three days later, while Everton prepares to host Leeds at Goodison Park on January 26.