27 January 2024 , 08:45
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Manchester United's recent track record in the transfer market is chequered, to say the least, but few deals have aged as badly as the £73million capture of Jadon Sancho.
The England winger, 24, was one of Europe's most sought-after commodities at the time following a highly productive four-year stint at Borussia Dortmund. But two-and-a-half years on, Sancho's Old Trafford career is all but over.
He was farmed out to his former club on loan earlier this month after a bitter fall-out with Erik ten Hag and is not expected to feature under the Dutchman going forward.
And even before he feuded with Ten Hag, Sancho had fallen short of expectations after failing to replicate his impressive Dortmund form on these shores.
Intriguingly, his former teammate, Thomas Delaney, warned Sancho's suitors back in May 2020 that he felt the youngsters was feeling the pressure of all the interest in him - foreshadowing the issues that have plagued him since he arrived in the Premier League.
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"Clearly, one of the biggest talents that I've played with," Delaney told ESPN. "With that talent comes a lot of pressure and I think he slowly starts to feel that from the England national team and clubs surrounding him now.
"Up until this point he's been a talent performing very well, performing better than what he is expected to do but there was always going to be a next step and that's going to be interesting. Next step in his career and his development.
Join the debate! Do you think there is any way back at Man Utd for Sancho? Let us know here.
Sancho returned to Borussia Dortmund on loan this month (Getty Images)"Only looking at his skills, he definitely has what it takes to become one of the five biggest players in the world. You see big talents go to waste and I would say that he's already done enough to prove himself.
"He's 19 and he's got the most goal involvement in the league together with Timo Werner and [Robert] Lewandowski which is amazing but he should strive for more."
In hindsight, Delaney's comments ring true three-and-a-half years on. Sancho's stock has significantly waned since his days terrorising defences for Dortmund, although there is hope that a return to Germany can reignite his career.
A return to form would, ironically, surely instigate plenty of interest ahead of the summer transfer windows from potential suitors. But regardless of what Sancho may achieve over the next for months, it seems unlikely it will be enough to salvage his Manchester United career.