Jadon Sancho makes Chelsea transfer admission as Juventus plotting summer moves

Chelsea could have signed £72m winger Jadon Sancho, with the Manchester United forward admitting that players from the Blues tried to steer him to Stamford Bridge.

The England international has had a slow start to life in the Premier League following a big money move in the last summer transfer window, scoring just three times in 15 starts in the English top tier, but the 21-year-old is showing signs that he is beginning to find his feet.

And it might have been in West London. No doubt Mason Mount, Ross Barkley, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek played a part in trying to tempt Sancho to the English capital.

The Blues are well stocked in the wide areas still however, and instead spent big to bring in Romelu Lukaku for a reported £97.5m fee instead at the end of the last campaign, with wide options Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz in house.

“I met Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw with the national team. They always said: ‘Come to United’,” Sancho explained to Sky Sport Deutschland this week.

Sancho has played 1,409 minutes of league action so far this season, appearing from the bench eight times. The former Manchester City player has been honest about his start with the red side of Manchester after his big money transfer last July.

“I’m very self-critical,” Sancho added on his current form. “It certainly [hasn’t been] my best season, but I have learned a lot. A new league, new teammates. I would say that I’m only now really starting to break free. I feel more and more comfortable and happy.”

Meanwhile, Juventus have been linked with a move for Chelsea attacking midfielder Christian Pulisic. The US international is one of four players being considered by Max Allegri’s side as the Turin-based outfit examine their summer transfer options.

According to La Gazetto della Sport, the Bianconeri are also eyeing up Antonio Rudiger, Hakim Ziyech and Jorginho, with uncertainty surrounding the Blues following the UK government sanctioning owner Roman Abramovich.

A quick sale of the club - if agreed by the UK authorities - however could see any instability negated and end talk of any Chelsea players heading elsewhere.