Even though he may not see any game time for the next six months or possibly a year, Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho shows no concern. He shared a picture with some of his "Five Rats" locker room brothers, beaming with joy.
Sancho’s future remains unclear. Chelsea, where he played last season, returned him for a £5 million fee, and at Manchester United, manager Ruben Amorim has excluded him from plans, leaving him without a jersey number. The 25-year-old former England international has been explicitly told there is no place or future for him in the squad.
Sancho has only one year left on his Manchester United contract, with the club holding an automatic extension option for another season. It is rumored that the management warned him to transfer quickly or they would activate the extension clause, potentially sidelining him for two years. However, Sancho remains indifferent and on Tuesday declined another approach from Serie A’s Roma.
On Wednesday, Sancho posted a photo on social media with Tyrell Malacia, Antony, and Lisandro Martinez, captioning it: "My brothers!" Malacia and Antony are also members of the "Five Rats" who have been excluded from first-team training by Amorim. Argentine defender Martinez is an outsider, currently recovering from surgery after a serious injury and unable to train with the first team.
According to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sancho has repeatedly turned down Roma’s offers, not solely due to financial reasons. Rumors say his agent demanded an €11 million commission, which the Giallorossi refused, stalling the deal. Italian media also claim that Sancho’s new girlfriend, American rapper Saweetie, is a key influence behind these decisions.
It is said that Saweetie has impacted Sancho’s career choices, with him traveling to the US three times a month. The UK’s Daily Mail reports that if Manchester United insists on keeping him, Sancho is considering waiting until his contract expires to end his European career and move to Major League Soccer in the US.
In May, while celebrating Chelsea’s Europa Conference League victory, Sancho raised his phone and played around with teammate Trevoh Chalobah. Sharp-eyed fans spotted a woman’s photo on his phone. British media confirmed that Sancho’s phone lock screen featured 32-year-old singer Saweetie, and rumors suggest they have been dating for several months.
Later, Sancho added a tattoo behind his left ear with the word "Quiava," part of Saweetie’s real name, Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper. This was done at a tattoo studio in California, which posted photos of Sancho and Saweetie visiting together, essentially confirming the dating rumors.
California is Saweetie’s hometown; she was born on July 2, 1993, in Santa Clara, California. Sancho could easily find a new club there, as the famous LA Galaxy and LAFC are based in the area. Former Manchester United striker Ibrahimović, "Heartthrob" Beckham, and Sancho’s former Dortmund teammate Reus have all played for these teams.
Besides Roma, Sancho was linked with Juventus, Dortmund, and Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window, but nothing materialized. Reports from "Open Stand" reveal that Tottenham is also considering a last-minute signing of Sancho to replace former captain Son Heung-min, who joined LAFC. However, Spurs are primarily focused on other wingers, making Sancho a backup option. His heart is no longer in football; like Son, he wants to play in the US.