Context:

Chelsea decided not to sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent basis, opting instead to pay a £5 million penalty to Manchester United to send the player back. Sancho, initially loaned to Chelsea after falling out with United's former manager Erik ten Hag, moved without a loan fee, and Chelsea covered only half of his £300,000 weekly wages. The obligation to buy Sancho was contingent upon Chelsea finishing higher than 14th in the Premier League, which they did, but the player and the club couldn't agree on new contract terms. Sancho's performance at Chelsea included scoring five goals and providing ten assists in 42 games, helping secure a Conference League win. Despite being under contract with Chelsea until June 30, he is unlikely to participate in this month's Club World Cup in the United States.

Dive Deeper:

• Chelsea opted out of a permanent transfer for Jadon Sancho, choosing instead to pay Manchester United a £5 million penalty to return the player. This decision came after Sancho's loan move due to a fallout with United's former manager Erik ten Hag.

• Sancho was originally signed by Manchester United for £73 million from Borussia Dortmund in 2021. During his loan at Chelsea, the club did not pay a loan fee and covered only half of his reported £300,000-a-week wages.

• The agreement to buy Sancho permanently was linked to Chelsea's Premier League finish, which they achieved by finishing higher than 14th, but contractual disagreements prevented the permanent transfer.

• With one year remaining on his contract with Manchester United, Sancho would have needed to accept a pay cut to stay at Chelsea, which did not materialize into a new contract agreement.

• Sancho contributed significantly to Chelsea's success during his loan, including scoring in a key win over Real Betis that helped the team secure the Conference League title, marking their first trophy since February 2022.

• Despite his contributions, Sancho is not expected to play for Chelsea in the upcoming Club World Cup in the United States, as he remains under contract only until June 30 with the club.

• Manchester United, meanwhile, still owe £17 million to Borussia Dortmund for Sancho, highlighting the financial complexities surrounding his transfer history.