Jadon Sancho will not be available for Chelsea in their trip to Old Trafford for a Premier League cracker against Manchester United.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca revealed Sancho is down with illness and will not make the Blues’ matchday squad for the cracker.
The Italian tactician, who will be looking to stun the Red Devils with his revamped Chelsea side, said every other Chelsea player is available and fit for the game except Sancho due to illness.
“All the players are available, but Jadon will be out. He has been ill in the recent days,” he said, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.
Apart from the illness blow, Sancho was not eligible to play for Chelsea against his parent club, Manchester United.
Why Chelsea cannot play Jadon Sancho against Manchester United even if he is fit
Sancho joined Chelsea on loan from Manchester United last summer. The English winger made the switch to the London club at the last hours of the summer transfer window after dropping off the pecking order in ex-Man United manager Erik ten Hag’s options.
His slip into the United’s chopping block under Ten Hag followed his infamous spat with the Dutch tactician since last season.
The clash saw him expend the rest of his 2023-24 season on loan to Borussia Dortmund, where he starred with flashes of scintilating performances, helping the team reach the final of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League.
After his Borussia Dortmund spell, he was back to the United setup and joined the club’s pre-season campaign. However, game time was hard to come by, hence the move to Chelsea on loan.
Based on FA’s guidelines, footballers who are loaned to a rival club in the Premier League cannot play against their parent club. The rule was reportedly introduced in 2004 to protect the integrity of the sport.
This means even if Sancho was fit, he would not have made the Blues’ lineup for the cracker against Manchester United. He will only be able to feature for the side against United if he signs a permanent contract with the club.
Futballnews understands Sancho will not return to Manchester United when his loan deal expires. The loan contract involves an obligation to buy clause, which will be triggered at the end of the season.
Jadon Sancho performances for Chelsea
Sancho has yet to nail down a regular spot in Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea setup. He is in strong competition with another of the club’s new signings, Pedro Neto.
Neto has played all Chelsea’s nine Premier League games this season, bagging two assists, while Sancho has only won three caps with the team so far.
He will hope to break into the club’s lineup under Maresca. Meanwhile, Chelsea will take on Manchester United in a highly-anticipated Premier League cracker on Sunday November 3, 2024.
The two sides shared a win apiece in their two meetings last season. However, Chelsea will go into the game as favorites having build momentum under Enzo Maresca while United are struggling for results.
