Wayne Rooney has expressed his admiration for Jadon Sancho's brief appearance for Aston Villa in their Premier League clash against Chelsea on Saturday night. Sancho, who joined Villa on loan from Manchester United in the summer, was introduced from the bench to face his former club after spending last season on loan at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had the chance to sign Sancho permanently from United for £25 million but opted not to activate the clause, instead paying a penalty fee to send him back to Old Trafford. Despite his limited game time this season, Rooney praised the winger's performance on BBC's Match of the Day, saying: 'Jadon Sancho came into this as well, and we haven't seen much of him this season, but I thought he was excellent when he came on. Getting the ball, driving with the ball and committing the Chelsea defenders and then they had runners, they had Morgan Rogers making runs in behind.'
Sancho's future at United remains uncertain, with his contract due to expire next summer. United have an option to extend the deal by an additional 12 months, which could allow them to secure a transfer fee rather than risk losing the former Borussia Dortmund star on a free transfer.
Next up for Sancho is a trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Premier League leaders Arsenal on Tuesday night, Villa's final match before the New Year. Having made only 13 appearances for Villa before his cameo against Chelsea, the 25-year-old will be eager for more minutes.
