Chelsea pushed to keep Jadon Sancho in their squad after his spell on loan at Stamford Bridge last season, however he ended up returning to parent club Manchester United.
Sancho scored in the Conference League final against Real Betis in what turned out to be his swansong appearance for the Blues, even though he had clearly impressed Enzo Maresca.
Maresca frequently praised Sancho, and he became a regular in the side, often ahead of the likes of Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke.
He managed a combined 15 goals and assists across all competitions, and played an important role in allowing Marc Cucurella to become the attacking force that he has now at Stamford Bridge.
Jadon Sancho will regret terrible decision to reject Chelsea contract
However, it emerged that Chelsea and Sancho couldn’t agree on a salary for a permanent contract, and with him clearly out of the plans at Old Trafford he saw himself on the chopping block.
Chelsea have made it clear since the new owners came in that they are not willing to budge on their strict wage structure, and this is where Sancho fell foul.
The Blues have replaced the winger with the summer additions of Estevao Willian and Jamie Gittens, with the Brazilian already making a serious impact since joining.
The England international ended up joining Aston Villa late in the transfer window, however things have not gone to plan for him so far.
Sancho’s miserable spell at Villa so far
Sancho has so far made just three appearances for Unai Emery’s side, with one of those coming in the Premier League.
Playing just eight minutes in the league, it looks unlikely that he will be making any impression on Thomas Tuchel, as he prepares to pick his England side for the 2026 World Cup.
With the improved performances of Jack Grealish this season, the current Everton man has shown exactly what a player can do if they get the right move, something that hasn’t occurred so far for Sancho.
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