Jadon Sancho has been training at non-league Flixton FC while he decides on his next club, the North West Counties League side has confirmed. The 26-year-old left Manchester United as a free agent this summer following a five-year spell that cost the club £73million.
Sancho visited and trained at Flixton's 2,000-capacity Valley Ground, a 10th-tier venue just three miles from Manchester United's Carrington training complex. The club plays in North West Counties League Division One North.
The appearance drew enough attention that Flixton released a statement explaining the visit. "Over the past few days, we've seen a number of posts and comments circulating regarding Jadon Sancho's visit to Flixton FC," the statement began. "To clarify, Jadon was not on trial with the club and was not involved in any transfer discussions."
"He simply used our facilities for a private training session to maintain his fitness while preparing for the next chapter of his career," the club said. "We're proud that the quality of our pitch and facilities made Flixton a place where a player of his caliber felt comfortable training, and he is welcome to train at Flixton FC whenever he wishes."
Flixton said Sancho met young supporters, posed for photos and signed autographs after his session. "During his visit, Jadon was nothing but professional, humble, and generous with his time," the statement said. "Jadon is a world-class footballer who has achieved more in the game than most players could ever dream of. He deserves respect for both his accomplishments and the way he conducted himself during his visit, not the unwarranted criticism that has followed."
The club added: "We thank Jadon for choosing Flixton FC as a place to train and wish him every success in the next stage of his career, which will undoubtedly be at a level far above where we currently compete. Our doors will always be open for him."
Difficult spell at Old Trafford
Sancho joined Manchester United in the summer of 2021 under then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a long pursuit. His first two seasons were uneven and disrupted by injury, and he was exiled from the squad at the start of the 2023-24 campaign after falling out with manager Erik ten Hag.
Sancho appeared to hit out at Ten Hag after the manager said publicly that the winger had been left out of the squad to face Arsenal because his training performances were not good enough. Sancho spent nearly six months out of competitive action before joining former club Borussia Dortmund on loan in January 2024.
Loan spells and a historic run
Season-long loans at Chelsea and Aston Villa followed. In May, Sancho became the first player in history to reach three European finals in three consecutive seasons, in three different cup competitions, for three different clubs.
Next destination unclear
Despite those moments, Sancho still has no confirmed club for the new season. Daily Mail Sport reported last week that Qatari side Al-Rayyan were keeping tabs on the former England international, with Atletico Madrid also maintaining an interest.
