Marcus Rashford found a breath of fresh air away from Man United (Image: Getty)
Louis Saha believes Jadon Sancho represents the most disappointing acquisition in Manchester United’s history, and insists he must take inspiration from the path chosen by former colleague Marcus Rashford. Sancho is anticipated to depart United as a free agent in June when his existing contract runs out following an exceptionally disappointing and lacklustre period at Old Trafford.
His five-year tenure at the club has seen him loaned out on three separate occasions, and he is presently in and out of the Aston Villa squad under Unai Emery. Sancho initially captured the attention of United’s decision-makers during an eye-catching spell at Borussia Dortmund, where he delivered the finest football of his career across two stints with the Bundesliga outfit.
However, he failed to replicate anything remotely close to those standards after arriving at United for £73million in 2021. Speaking to BetVictor about Sancho’s career decline, former Reds forward Louis Saha said: “I think Jadon Sancho is the most disappointing signing in Man United’s history. That’s because of the level he had shown at Borussia Dortmund before joining, he showed so much promise because he is an enormous talent.
“It felt like a mystery. I’m not sure what happened but he didn’t get anywhere near his best and I think he needs a fresh start like Marcus Rashford. I was really privileged to be a football player and I was injured a lot and I wish I could have played the amount of games that Sancho has played at his age and with his talent.
EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
“I would have really loved him to thrive at Old Trafford because he can do everything. He can do amazing things and so it’s a pity to see all those games wasted.”
Rashford also witnessed his United career effectively conclude last year following a dispute with Ruben Amorim over being omitted from the December Manchester derby. He departed on loan for Villa in January, temporarily bringing to an end his two-decade association with the club.
Jadon Sancho in action for Villa (Image: Getty)
His stint at Villa Park provided glimpses of the form he had battled to demonstrate prior to his Old Trafford departure, securing him a season-long loan to Barcelona, who possess a £26million option to make the transfer permanent. In Catalonia, Rashford discovered a new beginning and started to relish his football once more – and that is precisely what Sancho will be hoping to replicate this summer.
The winger, who has been linked with a return to Dortmund, will be eager to revive his career. However, a switch back to the Signal Iduna Park would necessitate a salary reduction, with the German club unable to match the £250,000-a-week he collects in England.
Sancho was anticipated to fulfil a significant role in assisting United’s pursuit of major trophies but his transfer descended into a nightmare for all parties involved. At the beginning of the 2023/24 season, he was exiled from first-team training following a public row with former boss Erik ten Hag.
He eventually returned to Dortmund on loan in January, helping them reach the Champions League final, though a permanent arrangement never came to fruition. Despite resolving matters with Ten Hag, he was permitted to join Chelsea on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy.
By the close of the 2024/25 campaign, Chelsea paid a termination fee to avoid completing a permanent transfer, returning him to M16, where he subsequently joined Villa at the beginning of this season, yet he has similarly struggled to make any meaningful impression there.