As Chelsea finished Champions League football and are now gearing up for their UEFA Conference League final clash with Real Betis, one player’s future continues to dominate the headlines: Jadon Sancho. After a rollercoaster season on loan from Manchester United, the Blues now find themselves at a crossroads.
Do they commit to the £25 million permanent transfer or pull the plug and pay a £5 million escape clause? It’s a decision that carries more weight than just finances. Sancho’s performances, potential, and role in Enzo Maresca’s system are all under the microscope, and the club keeps its cards close to its chest.
There’s no denying that Sancho’s return to the Premier League with Chelsea was met with excitement. After being frozen out at Manchester United, this loan was a second chance, and in the beginning, and also at times, it looked like the winger was making the most of it.
Sancho was featured in 40 games for Chelsea in all competitions this season, but only 19 were Premier League starts. Across the campaign, he chipped in with 4 goals and 10 assists. Respectable numbers on paper, but dig deeper and the story shifts. Since the turn of the year, he’s only found the net once in the league and delivered just 1 assist in 17 appearances. That dip in form hasn’t gone unnoticed. Former Chelsea and Arsenal defender William Gallas was especially blunt in his assessment:
“Did you see him dribble past his left-back today? No. He did nothing. He didn’t challenge his left-back opponent. He always gets the ball, does some skills, and then passes the ball back. We want to see more, especially when you are the winger.”
That kind of criticism is harsh, but it reflects fans’ frustration with watching Sancho this season. At times, he looks like the same fearless man who tore Bundesliga defenses apart at Borussia Dortmund. Other times, he seems hesitant, even lost, much like his disappointing stint with The Red Devils. Still, Maresca has remained publicly supportive of the 24-year-old. When asked about Sancho earlier in the campaign, he said:
“I am quite surprised with Jadon. I knew Jadon already, so I knew what to expect from him, but in terms of being consistent. He is doing very well apart from a short spell of the season when he had some problems. Apart from that, he has been very good.” The Italian sees value in the player, but is it enough to justify the long-term investment?
When Sancho joined on loan last summer, the deal included a clause that could make the move permanent. The terms were simple: If Chelsea finished higher than 15th in the Premier League, they would be obliged to buy Sancho for £25 million. Manchester United have done all they could to get rid of the Englishman.
That clause has technically been triggered. However, there’s a loophole; Chelsea can still back out by paying Manchester United a £5 million penalty fee. It’s a rare clause that allows the club to reassess at the season’s end without being fully locked in. From a purely financial standpoint, £25 million for a player of Sancho’s pedigree could be a bargain. Former United striker Andy Cole has argued, calling it a deal that “could be a steal” and pointing to the England international’s “so much unlocked potential”.
For Chelsea, it’s not just about talent or potential but about results. After a two-year absence, the club transitioned into a new era under Maresca, and the Italian helped them qualify for Europe’s elite. The manager would undoubtedly demand extra discipline, a high work rate, and tactical intelligence next season. He would push his team to the next level now, which is challenging for major trophies. Whether Sancho ticks all those boxes is up for debate.
Right now, Maresca is focused on silverware. With the Conference League final against Betis on Wednesday and the Club World Cup to follow in June, the manager isn’t ready to open that chapter yet. When asked directly about Sancho’s future, he offered no concrete answer.
“Tomorrow, we have the final, and then in the next 24 or 48 hours, we will talk about the future, but no decision has been made on Jadon or any other player.” That delay makes sense. With so much on the line this week, transfer decisions can wait only briefly.
Once the final whistle blows in Poland, Chelsea’s leadership will have just days to weigh the pros and cons and choose a direction. Sancho’s future won’t depend just on one final performance. It is doubtful that the 24-year-old would even feature. It depends on how the club sees its long-term role in its vision for success.
Sancho has shown glimpses of what made him one of Europe’s most exciting young talents, but consistency has been his enemy since he signed for United in 2021. At 24, he still has time to turn it around completely, but the question is whether Chelsea wants to be the club to guide him through that process. £25 million is a tempting price tag for a player of his caliber, but with a £5 million opt-out, the Blues have an escape route if they believe the spark has fizzled out. The following 48 hours, as Maresca hinted, will be crucial.
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The Miami Dolphins need to make an attitude adjustment after their joint practice with the Chicago Bears at Halas Hall on Friday. Per Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald, the Bears' defense came out aggressive at the practice and took multiple cheap shots at Dolphins offensive players like wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, running back De'Von Achane and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Kelly claimed the Bears' defense tackled Tagovailoa multiple times on Friday, which goes against how most joint practices are conducted, where quarterbacks are protected. Kelly thinks the Dolphins coaching staff didn't stick up for their offensive players because they were afraid they'd help perpetuate their stigma of being soft. "What you gonna do ... You gonna cry about it and say, 'Hey, you're hitting me too hard.' Like, what do you do?" Kelly said on an episode of "Dolphins in Depth" on Saturday. "But it was dirty. It was, without a doubt. Tua was hit multiple times, put on the ground multiple times practice ... What are you going to do when you know your team's reputation, you know the world, the league perceives you as soft, and here you go." Kelly didn't like how the offense responded to the Bears' bullying of the offense, accusing Miami of folding before practice ended. "Now what I didn't like is, as you know if you're a Dolphin(s) fan, they get punched in the mouth, they fold," Kelly said. "They got punched in the mouth, and you watch them fold during the 11 on 11 periods in practice." The Dolphins needed to respond with likewise energy against the Chicago defense. Miami's coaching staff should be concerned the offense didn't want to fight back after watching Tagovailoa suffer multiple hits at a joint practice. By not complaining about the cheap shots and instead deciding to fold, the Dolphins chose to continue adding to the list of evidence that head coach Mike McDaniel's teams are soft.
20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will return to the tennis court to play one more match at this year’s Shanghai Masters. Federer, who celebrated his 44th birthday on Friday, played his final match on the professional scene in September 2022 at the Laver Cup. It was an emotionally intoxicating doubles match in which Federer reunited with his great rival, Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer Announces Tennis Return Three years on from his retirement, Federer plans to grace the courts in Shanghai to play a celebrity doubles match. The tournament confirmed on X that the legendary Swiss will return to China at the start of October, when this year’s edition will be up and running. “Roger Federer is coming back to Shanghai. Join us on October 10th for the @rogerfederer and Friends Celebrity Doubles Match!” The tournament relayed the news. While the full schedule of who Federer will partner or play with is unknown for now, that match will take place two days before the singles final of the 2025 Shanghai Masters. In a short video announcing his return for one more doubles match, the two-time Shanghai champion said, “Hello, this is Roger. I’m really happy to be returning to the Qizhong Stadium in Shanghai for the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Shanghai has always been a special place for me, with great fans and unforgettable memories, and a real love for the game. I look forward to seeing you there on October 10th. Shanghai, let’s meet.” Why Shanghai? Shanghai is the penultimate Masters 1000 on the calendar and has previously been voted as the best ATP tournament of the year by players. The tournament represents some of the world’s best brands, including Rolex, which is its title sponsor. The Swiss watchmaker company is one of Federer’s most valuable sponsors. Federer has endorsed Rolex since 2001, and that partnership continues to grow stronger post-retirement. Federer has visited Shanghai in each of the last two years and has toured the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, which serves as the main court in the tournament. In 2023, he was presented with the Icon Athlete Award by the tournament in honor of his illustrious career in front of a packed stadium. And last year, Federer watched on from the stands as Jannik Sinner defeated one of his former rivals, Novak Djokovic, in the final.
The Philadelphia Eagles got a major injury scare during Sunday's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field when Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson went down with a leg injury and had to be carted off to the locker room. Dickerson was reportedly unable to put any weight on his leg. Dickerson, a second-round pick (No. 37 overall) by the team in 2021 has been a starter for the Eagles over the first four years of his career and developed into one of the best offensive linemen in football. He has been named to the Pro Bowl team in each of the past three seasons and is a key cog on the Eagles' line. The Eagles' O-line is one of the team's biggest strengths and a big part of its identity, and Dickerson has taken over as one of the top leaders on that group. The Eagles are already dealing with some depth issues on the interior of their line after backup Kenyon Green had to be carted off the field in their opening preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. If Dickerson has to miss any significant time that would be a huge blow to the Eagles' offense and their running game. But it's still very early in the process and the Eagles will almost certainly know more by Monday. The Eagles were the second-leading rushing team in the NFL during the 2024 season, averaging 179 yards per game. Running back Saquon Barkley ran for over 2,000 yards as part of their season, with the offensive line playing a huge role in both of those achievements.
Denver Broncos second-year quarterback Bo Nix didn't look like the player who shattered expectations as a rookie in his 2025 preseason debut. Nix played just three drives in Saturday's 30-9 road win over the San Francisco 49ers. The 12th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft completed 6-of-11 passes for 31 yards and posted a below-average 60 passer rating. He also had an intentional grounding penalty that resulted in a safety. Keep in mind the 25-year-old QB played against the 49ers second-team defense. Should that raise more concerns about Nix's rocky performance? Not necessarily. The Athletic's Nick Kosmider noted things could've been different for the offense had it made one big play early. "What should be taken from Nix's outing? Not much," Kosmider wrote in a piece published Sunday. "He started the game with a well-placed deep ball down the left sideline to [wide receiver Courtland] Sutton that the veteran receiver couldn't quite haul in. With such a limited sample size, the complexion of the first-team offense's night could have been entirely different had that play been made." Nix acknowledged he wished he and Sutton had connected on the throw during a postgame news conference. While it was frustrating for the young passer, he said plays like that are something that can help the team grow. "The good thing about football is every one of those plays was different today," he said. "You saw a different outcome, so you can talk about it and just add that to your football knowledge and move on and go from there." Broncos head coach Sean Payton lets his starters play in preseason to work out the bugs before the regular season. Nix's comment suggests he's embracing that opportunity. However, he must show signs of progress in Denver's next preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Broncos are banking on Nix taking another step after finishing third in 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels. If he does, that would give Denver a strong chance to win its first playoff game since Super Bowl 50 in 2016.