One of the big stories to keep an eye on between now and the end of the transfer window for Manchester United is developments over the futures of both Jadon Sancho and Raheem Sterling. Sancho is one of the players who could leave United by the end of Friday’s 11pm deadline. The winger spent the second half of last season on loan with Borussia Dortmund after a public falling out with manager Erik ten Hag . He has since returned to United a clear the air talks have taken place. But he is yet to be included in a matchday squad for the opening two games of the Premier League season, suggesting that a move could be on the cards. Any swap deal is likely to have to see both players reduce their wages for a transfer to go ahead, but if that can be sorted, then it could be an ideal scenario for all parties. Both players and clubs find themselves in a similar situation with a transfer away from their current sides probably the best outcome. Sterling has been forced to train away from the Chelsea first team after falling out of favour under new head coach Enzo Maresca. A swap deal would also see both players join the team that they grew up supporting. Back in the summer of 2021, Sancho revealed how he was a Chelsea fan as a child.
Jadon Sancho before Euro 2020 said “England hero? I’d probably say Frank Lampard. I was a Chelsea fan growing up, I’m not gonna lie! Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard were my favourite players at the time. I just loved Frank Lampard and how he played his game – he was so direct and so composed on the ball and I like things like that.”
Two years earlier, in 2019, Sterling made an admission that he supported United growing up.
Raheem Sterling said “I shouldn’t really say this — not now, definitely not now! — but when I was young I was a massive United fan. I had an old United kit, from when they won the last FA Cup,”
While a deal could take a lot of hard work from the clubs and some sacrifice from both of the players, it is one that could work if all parties really want it to happen. If it did, it could be the ideal scenario for all involved.
