Manchester United have been handed a setback in their quest to sell Jadon Sancho in the January transfer window, with the winger reportedly slipping down Juventus’ shortlist of targets. The England international no longer has a future at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag, though it is unclear whether any clubs will arrive with sufficient offers in January that will allow the forward to get his career back on track elsewhere.
Sancho has been exiled by United due after refusing to apologise to Ten Hag following their public spat that saw the winger hit out at claims made by his manager that he was not meeting the correct standards in training.
The Red Devils have made their stance clear on the matter and the £73million signing will be offloaded if he does not stand down. As such, the January transfer window is viewed by all parties as the ideal opportunity to part ways.
Several Saudi Pro League clubs have registered an interest in signing Sancho previously and are expected to continue their pursuits next month, though the 23-year-old favours remaining in Europe instead. A move to Juventus is expected to have been welcomed by Sancho.
However, Calcio Mercato report that the ex-Borussia Dortmund star is no longer Juve’s top target as they desperately look to bolster their options out wide. Instead, they have identified Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi as the ideal player to bring in and provide a spark in the final third.
Juventus have a long-standing interest in the Italy international and believe that they can lure him away from Sassuolo in January, despite the 29-year-old penning a contract extension with the club until 2027 last season.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side view Sancho as an ‘alternative’ to Berardi and it remains to be seen whether both players will be pursued, with other wingers also among the thoughts of the Serie A giants – including Shakhtar Donetsk star Georgiy Sudakov, who has recently been linked with making a move to the Premier league.
Juve’s decision to prioritise Berardi is a setback for United, who need to sell players in order to bring in new signings of their own – especially as Sancho’s value is set to plummet further if he remains an outcast until the campaign draws to a close in the summer. Other European clubs could use the lack of interest in the No 25 as a reason to join the race to secure his signature now, though it provides thorough justification to table low-ball offers in January as well.
