Euro giant’s director explains failed pursuit of 25-yo United star after their manager pushed for deal to be struck

Manchester United approached this summer’s transfer window determined to streamline their squad. The idea was to improve Ruben Amorim’s roster by signing fresh faces, while also removing the deadwood.

By the end of the summer, the Red Devils had offloaded most of the players deemed surplus to requirements. Among them was Jadon Sancho, who had spent the last season on loan at Chelsea.

The Blues had an obligation to make his stay permanent, but chose to activate a cancellation clause, believed to be £5m, to nullify that clause.

Sancho was heavily linked with a number of clubs during the summer, including AS Roma. However, the 25 year old ended up joining Aston Villa on another season-long loan on transfer deadline day.

Roma backed out of the move for financial reasons

The Serie A giants had reportedly reached an agreement with United regarding a deal for Sancho this summer. With the move failing to see the light of day, Roma director Claudio Ranieri has now shed light on the intricacies of the deal.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Ranieiri said that the transfer couldn’t be completed for financial reasons.

“It was a very expensive operation economically, but the Friedkins would have done it to please the coach,” said Ranieri – with Roma manager Gian Gasperini believed to have been keen on the deal.

“Of course, someone needed to be sold. Until a valuable player was sold, it couldn’t be done. I don’t think that a valuable player would have ever been sold, because we want to keep them at the moment.”

“We had to bring in young players with the hope that the coach makes the most out of them so that we can resell them to fall within the parameters of financial fair play.”

Aston Villa, meanwhile, are reportedly pleased with Sancho’s arrival and are already considering signing him permanently next summer.

Sancho has been a shadow of his former self at Old Trafford

United secured Sancho’s signature in the summer of 2021 following a lengthy pursuit of the then-Borussia Dortmund star.

The Englishman, though, has endured a nightmare stay at Old Trafford since arriving.

Sancho has registered just 12 goals and six assists from 83 games across competitions for the Premier League giants. He has never featured under Ruben Amorim, and isn’t part of the Portuguese’s plans either – with good reason.

Sancho’s contract at Old Trafford expires at the end of this season. Recent reports have suggested that United are planning to trigger a one-year extension clause in the Englishman’s deal to avoid losing him for free next summer.

Featured image Lewis Storey via Getty Images

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