Chelsea may have to pay £5 million to return Jadon Sancho to their Premier League competitors, Manchester United.

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Chelsea are facing a crucial decision regarding Jadon Sancho as they may have to pay Manchester United a £5 million fee if they opt against making his loan move permanent this summer.

The talented winger joined Chelsea on the final day of the summer transfer window, arriving on a season-long loan that included an obligation to buy for a reported fee between £20 million and £25 million. However, this deal was contingent on Chelsea finishing in 14th place or higher in the Premier League.

Currently, Enzo Maresca’s side sits in fourth place with nine games remaining, but there are growing concerns about whether the club intends to follow through with the permanent signing of Sancho. Reports suggest that a clause in the agreement allows Chelsea to return the 24-year-old to United if they pay the aforementioned £5 million fee.

After a promising start to his Chelsea career, Sancho has struggled to find the back of the net, failing to score in his last 19 appearances and not providing an assist since January. In total, he has managed just two goals in 28 games for the London club.

With Chelsea eyeing another winger this summer and the anticipated arrival of highly-rated Sporting prospect Geovany Quenda in 2026, it appears Sancho’s time at Stamford Bridge may be drawing to a close at the end of the current campaign.

Sancho’s tumultuous relationship with former United manager Erik ten Hag is well-documented, with his last appearance for the Red Devils occurring in August 2023, just two years after his high-profile transfer from Borussia Dortmund for £73 million. Following a fallout with Ten Hag, he was exiled from training and subsequently rejoined Dortmund on loan, contributing to their run to the UEFA Champions League final in 2024.

His relationship with United seemed to improve when he made a cameo appearance in the Community Shield at the start of the season, but he ultimately made the switch to Chelsea on loan.

It is worth noting that United are still covering a significant portion of Sancho’s wages. He was mentioned by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe as one of the high-earning players currently unavailable to play under manager Ruben Amorim. Ratcliffe also highlighted that United are still making outstanding payments related to Sancho’s transfer from Dortmund, indicating that they will still be “buying” the player this summer.

“For Sancho, who obviously now plays for Chelsea, and we pay half his wages, we are paying £17 million to buy him in the summer,” Ratcliffe stated.

Sancho’s current contract with United runs until 2026, with an option to extend for an additional year.