JADON SANCHO could get an escape route back to the Bundesliga – if he is willing to take a wage drop and cut-price pay-off.
Sancho is facing a red-faced return to Manchester United, as Chelsea want to back out of the obligation to buy agreed when he joined them on a season-long loan last summer.
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Bayer Leverkusen are keen to offer him the lifeline of a third spell in Germany and sources say United would do business for little more than £20million.
But Sancho’s chances of a move also rest on him taking a hefty drop from his £250,000-a-week Old Trafford salary.
While Leverkusen, who are losing boss Xabi Alonso at the end of the season, could afford the fee, his present wages are way beyond them.
That leaves Sancho facing the prospect of twiddling his thumbs for the remaining 12 months of his contract…or accepting his wages must be slashed to get out of Manchester.
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Chelsea’s change of heart means they must pay £5m to return him to Old Trafford, which covers the chunk of his salary United have been paying this season.
But they may try to use that to negotiate a pay-off with Sancho, who has no future under Ruben Amorim, even though he was already at Stamford Bridge when he arrived.
The one-time England winger cost United £73m when they signed him from Borussia Dortmund four years ago.
He made a six-month return to Dortmund last season, after a bitter feud with former manager Erik ten Hag, and played a key role in their reaching the Champions League final.
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But although BVB would like to take him back on a permanent basis – and remain Sancho’s preferred club – Leverkusen’s stronger financial position makes them favourites.
The winger introduced himself on the global stage during his first stint at Dortmund where he spent four years before his move to United in 2021.
The forward amassed a total of 53 goals and 67 assists in 158 appearances with the German giants.
Chelsea ratings vs Djurgarden as Dewsbury-Hall makes most of rare start but Sancho should have done better
CHELSEA coasted their way into the Conference League final thanks to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half finish.
Enzo Maresca’s men had done the difficult work last week with a thumping first-leg win.
But Dewsbury-Hall gave the home fans something to cheer about with a smart finish.
Tyrique George fed the midfielder, who cut inside Djurgarden defender Miro Tenho before slotting home.
From there, Chelsea were going through the motions – and no wonder given how poor their Swedish visitors were.
Here’s how SunSport’s Jack Rosser rated the Chelsea stars…
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
