Jadon Sancho has finally called time on his torrid Manchester United spell, reportedly joining Chelsea on transfer deadline day for an initial season-long loan with an obligation to buy the former £72million man outright, expected to be announced on Saturday.
Chelsea, who similarly let Raheem Sterling leave on loan to Arsenal with time running out in the window, will pay in the region of £23m to make Sancho a permanent Blues player next summer.
They had reportedly offered United the chance to include an option to buy rather than an obligation, at a higher price, but the Red Devils wanted Sancho out of the door after being frozen out by Erik ten Hag for a second time.
Sancho will be hoping to start afresh in London under Enzo Maresca, but even before he steps on the pitch wearing blue, has been faced with a difficult decision to make.
Throughout his career, Sancho has worn any of the No. 7, 10 or 25 numbers on the back of his shirt. He donned seven at Borussia Dortmund when the winger announced himself to the world, before taking up No. 25 at Old Trafford, then switching to No. 10 on loan back in Germany last season.
But at Chelsea, all those shirt numbers are taken. Pedro Neto took over No. 7 when Sterling was stripped of his place in the squad, while another of Sancho’s competitors out wide in Mykhaylo Mudryk picked No. 10 after Christian Pulisic’s exit to AC Milan a year ago. Moises Caicedo has worn No. 25 ever since he moved to the English top-flight with Brighton.
Sancho will be forced to wear a new number on his shirt as he begins life as a Chelsea player, with a few options available to him. After Todd Boehly and co failed to agree a deal for a striker as their move for Victor Osimhen collapsed, their No. 9 shirt remains available. Sancho may want to try and end the curse that clouded Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata, Radamel Falcao and Fernando Torres’ spells.
Numbers 16, 19, 23, 26, 28 and 30 are among some of the other options Sancho could wear as he hopes to win over the Chelsea faithful.
Sancho has already shown considerable willingness to prove Ten Hag and his United detractors, with The Athletic claiming that he has accepted a significant wage cut from his previous salary.
He is also expecting to play more regularly in his preferred position, on the left, despite competition from the likes of Neto, Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku.
And now representing the club he grew up supporting, Sancho will be eager to leave his mark with a new shirt number on his back, before becoming a permanent Chelsea player next year.
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