Jadon Sancho secures third loan deal away from United

At his best, Sancho is a wizard on the wings. In his four seasons with Dortmund before moving to United, Sancho accumulated 45 assists and 38 goals in 104 Bundesliga appearances. Unfortunately for both United and Sancho, he's gotten nowhere near that level of production in the Premier League.

Unai Emery is a master at revitalizing talent, as he did with Rashford last season. If he can get the best out of Sancho, Villa will have a star-level talent on its hands, and he could help it push for Champions League qualification. If not, then he will leave the club at the end of his loan. Villa has a low-risk, high-reward situation on its hands. 

United has a club option on Sancho's contract, meaning it could decide to keep him throughout the 2026-27 season if he impresses at Villa. The idea would be to trigger the additional year and then use his increased value to get a financial return for the winger. It's highly unlikely United will let him walk away on a free transfer, regardless of his negative standing within the club. 

With the World Cup on the horizon, Sancho has every incentive to prove himself this season. Villa will give him the perfect platform. If he stumbles, his time in England may be drawing to a close. If he thrives, then next summer will be an interesting one for the 25-year-old.

Either way, Villa has made use of United's rebuild for the second season running. Chances are Villa will also finish above United in the league table. It's innovative business from the West Midlands club, which could potentially earn it millions if it qualifies for Europe next season.