Jadon Sancho leaves Manchester United as a free agent

Jadon Sancho has officially left Manchester United as a free agent, five years after arriving in a £75m deal and months after earning a Europa League winner’s medal at Villa Park.

Manchester United confirmed Sancho will leave alongside Tyrell Malacia, and Casemiro, who will all leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of this month.

Sancho only made 83 appearances for United, scoring 12 goals and getting six assists, and remains their fourth-most expensive signing ever.

He has spent the last two-and-a-half seasons out on loan at Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and then Aston Villa, and has only made one appearance for United – in the 2024 Community Shield – since August 2023.

His last Premier League game for United came almost three years ago before a falling-out with former manager Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman dropped him from the squad for a game at Arsenal, criticising Sancho’s efforts in training, while he responded by saying he was being made a scapegoat. Ten Hag banished Sancho from first-team training as neither backed down before he rejoined Dortmund in January 2024.

He has gone on to play in European finals in three years with three clubs – Dortmund in the Champions League, Chelsea in the Conference League and Villa in the Conference League, winning the last two.

Chelsea paid a £5m penalty clause in their loan agreement to avoid buying Sancho while Villa are not expected to buy him after he only started nine league games in his year playing for Unai Emery.

Dortmund have said they are interested in signing Sancho for a third time this summer.

Casemiro had already confirmed his departure, four years after joining from Real Madrid for £63m. The 34-year-old scored 26 goals in 160 games and was an integral part of the United team that finished third this season.