Sancho's career has faded

Perhaps no club in the modern era has produced as many football tragedies as Manchester United - once the dream destination of young talents, but now a career-crushing mill.

Jadon Sancho is expensive, but disappointing in England.

And Jadon Sancho, once considered the crown jewel of the 2000s, is becoming a prime example of that decline - a talent lost in the cycle of personal and systemic disappointment.

From Dortmund dream to Old Trafford nightmare

It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, Jadon Sancho was a sensation across Europe. A young Englishman who dared to leave Man City for Germany, and really shined brightly for Dortmund. In a Bundesliga full of speed and tactical discipline, Sancho was a creative rebel, a football artist with unpredictable dribbles, sharp passes and a skill for handling the ball in tight spaces that few English players possess.

It is no exaggeration to say that from the age of 17 to 21, Sancho was a symbol of the change in the mindset of training young players in England - daring to leave, daring to challenge the limits. He is a representative of the "Next Gen" - a generation of English players with a global character, no longer confined to traditional playing styles.

And then Man United came along. For £72.9m, Sancho became one of the most expensive signings in the club’s history. But instead of becoming the perfect piece of the puzzle that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had hoped for, he entered a maze of failure - where his talent was eroded by an unstable system and a contradictory development strategy.

Sancho is not the type of player who plays in a rigid system. He needs freedom, needs space to express his instincts. But at Man United, where each coach has a different philosophy, where the requirements are constantly changing, and where no one knows who will be there tomorrow, creative players like Sancho are often the first victims.

Chelsea also could not save Sancho's career.

After Solskjaer left, Erik ten Hag - who is known for his disciplined philosophy - could not find a common voice with Sancho. Tensions reached a peak when Ten Hag publicly criticized the player, and Sancho responded on social media. The relationship broke down to the point of no return, leading to him being dropped from the squad and drifting to Chelsea.

However, his time at Chelsea has not saved Sancho’s image. A few positive moments, including a goal in the Europa Conference League final, cannot hide the fact that Sancho is no longer a first-choice option, but just another name on Man United’s “hard to sell” list.

Responsibility is not one person's alone

It is easy to blame Sancho - who turned down a chance at Man City, left Watford, and repeatedly displeased his parent club. But it is equally impossible to ignore the responsibility of Man United - a team that is too lenient in its transfer policy, too hasty in its expectations, and too impatient with young talent.

United have not only failed with Sancho. They have failed with Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, and most recently Antony - "guaranteed success" contracts but drifted along the same script: high price, high expectations, disappointing results.

Sancho himself is a victim of unrealistic expectations. From being the first player born in 2000 to be called up to the England squad, to being a racist young hero after Euro 2020 - the pressure on his shoulders is not just football, but also social symbolism. And not everyone is strong enough to stand firm under that bright light.

Sancho’s decline is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader reality: modern football is consuming talent at an ever-faster rate. Players as young as 21 or 22 are considered “past their prime” simply because they fail to meet immediate expectations. The transfer market, the media and even the fans – all contribute to creating incredible pressure on the young generation.

For Man United, Sancho is a valuable reminder that money cannot buy development.

For United, Sancho is a valuable reminder that money can’t buy development. And for the rest of English football, it’s a lesson that a good system can’t just create talent, it can also protect and guide it through the toughest times.

Sancho may not be done yet. He still has time, if he chooses the right environment to start over. But whatever the future holds, his career thus far is the most eloquent summary of a generation of talents who grew up in the spotlight – and were swallowed up by the expectations they created.

Source: https://znews.vn/su-nghiep-sancho-lui-tan-post1558158.html