Chelsea are close to agreeing a loan deal for Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho.
Sky Sports News has been told the offer is a loan that could become an obligation to buy if certain thresholds are met.
The loan fee is thought to be more than Juventus offered for Sancho and talks are continuing between Chelsea and United ahead of the 11pm deadline.
Juventus were keen to sign Sancho on loan but there is a feeling within the Italian side that the 24-year-old prefers a move to Stamford Bridge, and they will not pursue a deal unless the conditions drastically change.
United would prefer to sell Sancho but have not ruled out agreeing another loan for the England international, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund.
Sancho has two years remaining on his contract at Old Trafford, with United retaining the option to extend the deal by a further 12 months.
Asked on Friday afternoon if he expected Sancho to stay, Erik ten Hag said: “As I know, yes. He’s playing in our squad and we’re happy with him.
“We need depth in the squad. We need options.”
Chelsea would ideally offload players before Friday’s 11pm deadline, including Raheem Sterling. United remain open to the idea of signing the 29-year-old but are not actively pursuing a deal.
The Blues’ move for Sancho is likely to be a standalone deal but United have explored a move for Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
Sancho has scored 12 goals and contributed six assists in 83 games for United since signing from Dortmund for £73m three years ago.
Sancho – who has 23 caps for England – fell out of favour at United last season after a public disagreement with Ten Hag.
The forward was welcomed back into Ten Hag’s squad this summer but his only action so far this season was a brief appearance from the bench in the Community Shield.
Chelsea owners would back ‘opportunistic’ Sancho signing
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
“Some Chelsea fans will be thinking whether they really need to sign Jadon Sancho, with the club having already signed wingers like Pedro Neto and Joao Felix this summer, with Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and even Raheem Sterling at the club, and with Sancho not appearing to be in Erik ten Hag’s plans at Manchester United.
“I think the reason Chelsea are going for him is that it’s an opportunistic move. Sancho would be available for a sensible fee and, on his day, he’s a very good player – he played in the Champions League final for Borussia Dortmund in June, and three years ago he was an £85million player.
“If Enzo Maresca thinks he can get the best out of him, I think the Chelsea owners will back him.”
Analysis: Could Sancho shine at Chelsea?
Sky Sports’ Nick Wright:
Jadon Sancho is still only 24 but he has work to do to put his career back on an upward trajectory and prove he can still fulfil his considerable potential.
He was seen as one of the best young players in Europe when swapping Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund as a teenager. His first full season in Germany brought 12 goals and 14 assists in league games alone. He followed it up with 17 goals and 16 assists in his second.
But it is four years since those incredible highs. His output dipped in the subsequent season at Dortmund and his move to Manchester United, completed in the summer of 2020, has brought frustration. Even last season’s loan spell back at Dortmund felt underwhelming.
His minutes have decreased in each of the last six seasons – his goals and assists have followed a similar pattern – and interest from Chelsea follows a false dawn at United, with Sancho unused this term despite an apparent reconciliation with Erik ten Hag.
Staying at Manchester United is unlikely to bring a change of fortunes but a move to Chelsea would present challenges too. Sancho needs to play but, even with Raheem Sterling frozen out, Enzo Maresca already has a large cohort of wide forwards.
Cole Palmer, Sancho’s former City academy team-mate, is surely an immovable presence in Chelsea’s forward line. The Blues have also added Joao Felix and Pedro Neto to a unit which already includes Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk.
It is hard to see where Sancho fits. Swapping Old Trafford for Stamford Bridge would be a fresh start. Whether the circumstances are right for him to shine again is less clear.
What’s going on in Chelsea’s striker pursuit?
Al Ahli have agreed a deal for Ivan Toney but there is still work to be done regarding their move for Victor Osimhen.
While Toney appears set for the £40m move having been filmed by Sky Sports News arriving for his medical in London on Deadline Day, Napoli are now asking for more money from the Saudi club for Osimhen.
Napoli agreed a fee in the region of £67m overnight, but Al Ahli are understood to be unhappy because the goalposts of the deal have changed and are standing firm on their original offer.
Chelsea are still pushing for the signing of Osimhen and talks continue with a delegation in Naples.
However, the deal remains difficult given Chelsea’s wage structure and Osimhen’s demands. Club-to-club negotiations are expected to be easier to resolve than the personal terms.
Al Ahli are understood to have agreed a four-year contract with the 25-year-old worth around £33.6m per season – or £646,154 per-week – tax-free. The contract also includes a release clause.
The Nigeria international is yet to give the green light to signing for Al Ahli and it is understood Chelsea have not given up hope on signing their long-term target.
Napoli’s preference is a permanent deal or at least a loan with an obligation to buy.
The Serie A side have already brought in a potential Osimhen replacement in Romelu Lukaku, who joined from Chelsea on Thursday.
Before agreeing to the Saudi move, Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda insisted “he still has so much to do in Europe” – a statement which appeared to give Chelsea every chance to come up with an acceptable offer.
But the west London club have fallen way short of what Osimhen would want, with Chelsea needing him to fit into their new wage structure.
There was then a further blow to Chelsea in their search for a proven goalscorer to be their new No 9 as Al Ahli also agreed a fee for Toney.
The England international has less than one year left on his Bees deal.
Toney was left out of Brentford’s first two Premier League games against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, and was also omitted from the squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup second-round win at Colchester.