25-year-old “getting better” but still has more to prove
Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho must offer more if he is to remain at Aston Villa beyond the summer, according to manager Unai Emery.
Sancho joined Villa on loan last summer but has struggled to make the expected impact, with only two goal contributions in 23 appearances in all competitions. Sancho’s contract at United expires in the summer, when his loan at Villa also comes to an end.
Asked if Villa have made a decision on whether to sign the 25-year-old, Emery said: “Not yet. But he is a fantastic player. Hopefully, he can help us by increasing his qualities in our structure, like he is doing.
“He will need another contract, and maybe it could be here. If he plays his best football, we will want him. But also other teams could be involved in the interest for him.
“This is football and the matches are all important for every player and the club’s future, how we can achieve our objective.”
Sancho has made three different loan moves since joining United for £73m in 2021. He returned to former club Borussia Dortmund on loan in January 2024, before returning to United and then moving to Chelsea on loan in the summer of 2024.
After a season at Chelsea, the club chose not to exercise the option to sign him last summer, instead paying a £5m penalty to avoid the obligatory clause. The English forward then joined Villa on loan, hoping to follow Marcus Rashford’s footsteps in rejigging his career with a loan spell at the Midlands club.
But the club are not yet convinced enough of his abilities to merit an extended deal, according to Villa’s boss.
“The first part of the season was not enough; he was working and trying, but not achieving the performance we needed,” Emery said.
“Now he is getting better. He is getting the challenge for him and us. I spoke with him a few times about the challenge we have with him and that he has with us.
“He must be demanding himself and consistent like he is now. But [we want] more and more. It is not the time to wait. We need everyone with their wishes and qualities.”
