Jadon Sancho accused of joining Chelsea 'for the money' with Man Utd loanee walking into 'inconsistent' club that 'must have two dressing rooms'

Sancho has shifted base from Manchester to London following a deadline day loan deal to Chelsea which includes an obligation to purchase the Englishman next summer, with the fee ranging between £20 million (€23m/$26m) and £25 million (€29m/$32m), depending on where the Blues finish in the Premier League.

After a nightmare spell at Old Trafford, Sancho was eager to revive his career and hence joined Chelsea after reportedly accepting a significant reduction in his salary. However, not everyone is convinced that Sancho’s move to Stamford Bridge is solely about football. Former Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has suggested that the 23-year-old’s decision to join the Blues might be driven more by financial incentives than a genuine desire to re-establish himself on the pitch.

In an interview with BetVictor, Petit said: "The club are not the only one responsible for the situation, it also comes down to the players. How can Sancho bring himself to sign for Chelsea after what happened at Manchester United? He was loaned to Borussia Dortmund, then went back to United, and now he’s off to Chelsea who have 40 or so players and he is just one of them.

“Hasn’t he had enough of moving around clubs, losing his way on the pitch and losing his confidence? Now he’s at a club that has no consistency, lacking in confidence and results. If he’s not there for the money, what is he there for?”

In addition to criticizing Sancho’s decision, Petit also voiced his concerns over Chelsea’s broader transfer strategy. He questioned how the club, under the leadership of Todd Boehly, could maintain any sense of unity or coherence within a squad that seems to be perpetually expanding.

“I’m not sure how you can create unity between players who only think about themselves,” he said. "We should rename the transfer window as ‘the Chelsea transfer market’. I just don’t get what Todd Boehly’s transfer policy is.

“When I saw they had signed Jadon Sancho on deadline day, I wondered if there was even any shirt numbers left for him. Imagine him opening the door to the dressing room and seeing so many players – they don’t all fit in the same dressing room! At the training ground, they must have two dressing rooms, three pitches and 12 physios.”

Under the guidance of manager Enzo Maresca, who is known for a style of play that could suit Sancho’s strengths, the winger will be looking to rediscover the form that made him one of Europe’s most exciting young talents. He will be eager to turn back the clock when the Blues resume their Premier League campaign after the international break with a match against Bournemouth on September 14.