Chelsea 'submit offer' to sign £25m-rated player in late transfer window raid despite manager's 'happy' claims

Chelsea are now said to have put in an official bid for the Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho, leaving just hours for any deal to be complete before the summer transfer deadline.

It was reported earlier today that the 24-year-old former Borussia Dortmund forward has given the ‘total green light’ on the proposed move and the Blues are now expected to reach an agreement with the Red Devils before this evening’s 11pm deadline. Both a loan move and permanent move were said to be on the cards with Manchester United prepare to sell the forward for just £25m - nearly £50m less than what they bought him for from the Bundesliga in 2021.

Now, however, the transfer saga goes on step further and, taking to X, the Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano has posted: “Chelsea submit official bid to Manchester United for Jadon Sancho. Understand it’s initial loan proposal, similar to terms offered by Juventus but total package higher. Sancho, open and keen to join Chelsea so up to the clubs/Man Utd to decide.”

Talks are said to be progressing between the parties with a loan with an obligation to buy deal on the cards.

When asked in a pre-match press conference if Sancho would stay at United, the Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag - with whom Sancho has a fractious relationship - said: “As I know, year. He is a player in our squad and we are happy with him. We need a good squad, we need depth in the squad, we have to play many games until January. The new format of Europe. After the break we will play every third day so we absolutely need options.”

Juventus had also expressed interest in acquiring the Stamford Bridge-destined star but are now slipping further out of the picture as Sancho aims to remain in the Premier League.

Chelsea, who have brought in 11 new players to Stamford Bridge already, remain on the hunt to strengthen their attacking options and, as well as their dealings with with Manchester United are also said to still be in the running to sign Al-Ahli transfer target Victor Osimhen.