No, €85m Jadon Sancho is not signing for a non-league team

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FT Desk

A non-league club in England has been forced to deny rumours that Jadon Sancho could potentially join them as a free agent.

The former Manchester United winger is currently looking for a new club after leaving Old Trafford upon the expiration of his contract.

In the summer of 2021, Sancho joined United for €85 million to much fanfare, with a lot expected him following an excellent spell with Borussia Dortmund. However, he failed to live up to that price tag and, after falling out with then-manager Erik ten Hag, was shipped out on loan back to BVB, then Chelsea, then Aston Villa.

Both Chelsea and Villa had the opportunity to sign him permanently for €25m, but neither triggered that clause, while there was no way Man Utd were going to offer him a new deal this summer as they were desperate to get him off the wage bill.

Sancho was spotted training with non-league Flixton, and that led to some online speculation that he may play for the club, however unlikely that may seem.

"To clarify, Jadon was not on trial with the club and was not involved in any transfer discussions," Flixton wrote in a statement on Instagram.

"He simply used our facilities for a private training session to maintain his fitness while preparing for the next chapter of his career."

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Sancho hasn't been completely without success over the past couple of years as he won the Europa Conference League with Chelsea, scoring in the final, and was also part of the Villa squad that won the Europa League last season.

This summer, he has been linked with clubs in the Middle East and Turkey, though no move has materialised as of yet.

Flixton, for their part, praised Sancho's professionalism during his short training period with the club.

Their statement added: After completing his session, he happily met with young supporters, posed for photos, signed autographs, and left a lasting impression on everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.

"Jadon is a world-class footballer who has achieved more in the game than most players could ever dream of.

"He deserves respect both his accomplishments and the way he conducted himself during his visit, not the unwarranted criticism that has followed."