Chelsea could pay penalty fee to get out of obligation to buy Sancho from Man United

Jadon Sancho joined Chelsea on loan last summer hoping to revitalise his career after a dismal spell at ManUnited. He kicked off life in the English capital with three assists in three matches for the Blues, scoring his first goal in December. But after a promising start, he seemingly finds himself off track once again. 

Sancho has not contributed to a single Chelsea goal since January 4 - 14 games ago - and has not found the back of the net since December 8, on matchday 15 of the Premier League against Tottenham. An extended poor run has now got the Blues assessing whether they should keep him next season.

Chelsea's deal for the 24-year-old includes a £25m obligation to make the move permanent at the end of the campaign should they finish above 14th in the Premier League - they currently sit in fifth place. However, according to 'The I Paper', Chelsea can pay Man United a penalty fee to get out of the obligation.

It is widely known that Manchester United do not want Sancho in their squad, with the pair's bridges being long burned. Should the former Borussia Dortmund return, the Red Devils chiefs would look to move him on quickly to raise funds for Ruben Amorim’s squad overhaul.

As things stand, Enzo Maresca's side are planning to stick with the terms of the deal, though their stance could change should Sancho fail to meet the board's expectations. And with Chelsea closing on the transfer of 17-year-old talent Geovany Quenda from Sporting Lisbon in 2026, the Englishman may have to start delivering sooner rather than later.