Sancho wage talks delay Roma deal

Man United and Roma face a budget hurdle as wage demands threaten to derail a €23m transfer for Jadon Sancho.

Sancho wage talks stall Roma transfer from Manchester United

Manchester United and Roma are negotiating a transfer for Jadon Sancho valued at about €23m, reportedly on a loan with an obligation to buy. The central obstacle is Sancho’s wage demand, estimated at €15m gross per year, a figure Roma is unlikely to meet within its current budget. To make the move feasible, Roma is said to be considering a five-year contract to spread the salary over time, reducing the annual burden while keeping the deal within reach.

Interest from other clubs, including Juventus and Besiktas, adds pressure on Sancho to decide his next step. United is keen to move the player off the books while the club weighs the best path for his career and its own payroll. Whether the terms can be aligned will depend less on the transfer fee and more on personal terms that satisfy the player and fit Roma’s financial plan.

The episode highlights how football markets now hinge on annual pay rather than one-off transfer fees. A five-year salary spread, if accepted, would reflect a growing preference for long-term cost management over immediate outlays. For Roma, the test is whether ambition can outpace budget constraints in a league tightening its belt. Sancho faces a real choice between a financially lucrative offer elsewhere and a role that may be limited if his wage demands cannot be met in the Italian capital.

Highlights

Markets and managers will watch closely how clubs balance ambition with balance sheets this summer.