Shaun Wright-Phillips urges Chelsea to sign £25m star who has ‘potential’

Shaun Wright-Phillips has urged his former club Chelsea to sign Jadon Sancho in a permanent transfer move from Manchester United.

Sancho joined Chelsea on a season-long loan from United in August, with the deal including an obligation to buy for between £20m and £25m.

It’s not a guarantee Sancho will become a permanent Chelsea player, though, with the Blues able to cancel the move if they pay United £5m.

But Wright-Phillips wants Chelsea to sick with Sancho, despite the 25-year-old underperforming for both the west Londoners and the Red Devils.

Quizzed if he would turn Sancho’s loan into a permanent deal for £20-25m or pay United £5m in compensation to send him back to Old Trafford, Wright-Phillips told Genting Casino: ‘It seems like [Chelsea] buy with potential in mind and what players can possibly be or become.

‘We all know Jadon’s potential. If Chelsea worked the way Chelsea worked, they would normally sign him, because they know what he’s capable of and they’ve seen him do it.

‘But I think what’s not helping at the minute is that he’s not only scoring, but he’s not creating enough.

‘Cole Palmer, he’s not playing that well. He’s still created 45 odd chances for his teammates, do you know what I mean?

‘You can not play well and still make things happen, with little flashes and little moments. At the minute, for whatever reason, that just isn’t happening for Sancho.’

Sancho has produced two goals and seven assists across 28 games for Chelsea to date.

The England international winger is still some way off the incredible levels he showed while playing for Borussia Dortmund from 2017 to 2021, which tempted United to sign him in a £73m deal four years ago.

Wright-Phillips has suggested that Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca should consider changing Sancho’s position to get the best out of him.

‘Maybe in the Premier League, he isn’t a winger,’ Wright-Phillips added. ‘He might be more of a number 10 or an attacking midfielder in terms of getting the ball in different areas rather than having to always try and go past people.

‘His future might be better through the centre, but that we’re yet to find out.

‘If Chelsea are taking risks on the amount of players they are taking risks on, I don’t think he’s a bad one. We know what he’s already done in a game. If he makes his way back, you’ve got a player on your hands.’

Maresca admitted on Wednesday that Sancho can ‘do better’ at Chelsea in terms of goals and assists but offered full support to the struggling star.

‘All the players with us, I love all of them,’ Maresca said. ‘But in this moment, it is to finish well and not think about next season. I’m completely focused on the next nine games. What happens in the summer, we will see. I am happy with all the players here.

‘To be honest, you probably have more news than me in terms of Jadon. For me, his situation does not change, it is exactly the same. He can do better in terms of numbers, no doubt, but it is not only Jadon.

‘We have other players in that situation. I do not need to give Jadon a message, I speak with him every day. He needs to continue to give his best. That is what we want from Jadon.’