Former Liverpool defender says he is “not sure there’s that much ability there”
Jamie Carragher has questioned Jadon Sancho’s ability as the winger begins a fresh attempt to relaunch his career with Aston Villa.
Sancho returned to Manchester United this summer after a loan spell at Chelsea, but was quickly moved out again on deadline day when Villa struck a season-long deal. The 25-year-old, whose United contract runs until 2026 with an option for a further year, will now work under Unai Emery at Villa Park.
Carragher said on the Overlap Fan Debate that he remains unconvinced about Sancho’s overall quality.
The former Liverpool defender said: “Back when he was at Borussia Dortmund, Gary Neville and I were on a show where we had to pick an England squad. We hadn’t seen too much of him. He was doing well in the Champions League but we left him out.
“Everyone on social media was saying, ‘How can you not pick Sancho?’
“I’m still not sure there’s that much ability there. He’s okay, but I don’t really see what his standout quality is. With Marcus Rashford, even though I’ve criticised him, I can picture his pace, his shooting, his free kicks, the power he puts into the ball.
“With Sancho, I just don’t know what his thing is. I can’t picture it in my head.”
Sancho has not played for England for four years, since a World Cup qualifying game against Andorra in October 2021.
He joined United from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of that year for £73m but struggled to establish himself at Old Trafford, falling out with Erik ten Hag in 2023 before being sent on loan.
His season on loan at Chelsea did not lead to a permanent move, with the London club choosing not to activate their purchase option after disagreeing on personal terms.
Villa will cover around 80 per cent of Sancho’s wages but are not obliged to make the move permanent. The deal was a calculated gamble by the club, who were restricted in their summer spending by financial fair play rules and had to be creative about adding depth to Emery’s attacking options.
