'Gone again' - Man Utd flop handed brutal assessment from club legend of Premier League rivals

Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has hit out at Jadon Sancho’s recent performances for the Blues and has claimed the Manchester United forward “deceived” with some early performances at Stamford Bridge.

The West London club signed Sancho on August 31 on a season-long loan deal, with BBC Sport reporting that Chelsea have an obligation to complete a permanent deal this summer for between £20m-25m.

The former Borussia Dortmund player provided three assists in his first three Premier League games for Chelsea as Enzo Maresca’s side defeated Bournemouth, West Ham and Brighton and Hove Albion. Overall he has two goals and four assists in the top flight this term. His goals came in wins over Southampton and Tottenham in early December but since those fixtures he has contributed just one assist in 10 matches.

What did Obi Mikel say?

Speaking on his most recent episode of The Obi One Podcast, the ex-Chelsea man said: “Jadon Sancho, he came here and he’s deceived us with a few good games. We thought, now we’re getting the Jadon Sancho from Dortmund. He’s gone again. He’s gone. I don’t know what’s happened to Jadon. He’s disappeared off the grid. He takes the ball, he doesn’t go past players anymore, he doesn’t create chances anymore. He doesn’t help the team as much as he should be.”

The comments from the two-time Premier League winner came after Chelsea’s 3-0 loss to Brighton last Friday. Sancho was on the bench for that game but was introduced in the 21st minute after an injury. He provided zero accurate crosses and failed to produce a shot while losing possession 14 times.

Just last month, Chelsea boss Maresca had expressed his satisfaction with Sancho. Speaking in mid-January the Italian said: “For me he’s doing very well,’ said our head coach. ‘I am quite surprised with Jadon, because I knew Jadon already [from seeing him at his previous clubs] and I know what I expected from him, but in terms of being consistent, he’s doing very well. Apart from a short part of the season when he had some problems, when he was out ill, then for the rest he has been very good.

“I expected him to do well, but for all the players doing well for a long period is not easy, and he has been doing well for a long period already. He’s doing well, now he just needs to continue going in that way.”

Sancho’s forgettable Old Trafford spell

The forward arrived at United with high expectations in the summer of 2021, with the Red Devils paying Dortmund £73m for his signature. The 24-year-old managed just three goals in 29 games during his debut Premier League season but did double that tally the following campaign as he netted six times in 26 outings. However, early into the 2023-24 season he had a public falling out with then manager Erik ten Hag.

Sancho’s performances in training were publicly questioned by Ten Hag after a defeat to Arsenal, with the forward taking to social media to defend himself. He was subsequently banished from the first team for the remainder of the season. He was briefly introduced back into the first-team squad last summer before leaving for Chelsea late in the transfer window.

In recent years United have spent big on a number of players who have failed to live up the expectations, with Sancho certainly one of them given his 53 goals and 67 assists in 158 games for Dortmund. However, the player has played his final game for the Red Devils as Chelsea will be required to buy him at the end of the campaign.

On why the player’s move to United failed, former assistant Mike Phelan said earlier in the season: "The only thing was to get him out there on the training ground and get out of him exactly what we thought his qualities were. That didn’t happen for some reason. There were bits of moments, but ultimately he didn’t progress in a way he probably should have.”