Gabby Agbonlahor has expressed serious concern for former Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho after the 26-year-old was spotted training with non-league side Flixton. The England international has not found a new club since leaving Old Trafford earlier this summer.
Sancho's struggles since leaving Dortmund
Sancho joined United for a reported £73m from Borussia Dortmund but never replicated his Bundesliga form. In 83 appearances for United, he scored just 12 goals and has made only four appearances since the start of the 2022-23 season.
He had loan spells with Dortmund, Chelsea, and most recently Aston Villa, but struggled to contribute goals and assists, returning to United before being released this summer.
Agbonlahor fears early retirement
Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Villa and England striker said: "I do worry about Sancho. I do worry a lot about him, Jeff, because it didn't work for him, obviously, at Manchester United."
"It did work at Dortmund. It didn't work at Chelsea. Come to Aston Villa last season, everyone thought this manager, Unai Emery, can produce miracles. But he couldn't produce a miracle with Jadon Sancho. Had two decent halves during his time at Aston Villa."
"I don't think there's a club that's going to offer him £50,000 a week now. And what does he feel about that himself when you're used to that big money?"
"Will he have an ego of like, 'I'm not going to go to the Championship.' What club in Europe is going to really want to give him the comfort that he probably thinks that he deserves? He doesn't score enough, does he?"
"Look at wide players now, need to be getting their ten goals, ten assists in their Premier League sort of level. I just think he's not as good as he used to be. And sometimes players go off, don't they?"
"There's many players that have hit the ground running at 18, 19 and then by 26… There's reasons behind that. It just hasn't worked for Jadon Sancho. I do worry about him now. Could he be one of those players that's retired at 28? It wouldn't surprise me."
Flixton clarifies Sancho's visit
Sancho caused a stir earlier this month by sharing images of himself training at tenth-tier Flixton, prompting the club to issue a statement refuting any trial or transfer discussions.
Owner Christopher Garcia said: "Over the past few days, we've seen a number of posts and comments circulating regarding Jadon Sancho's visit to Flixton FC."
"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."
"We're proud that the quality of our pitch and facilities made Flixton a place where a player of his calibre felt comfortable training, and he is welcome to train at Flixton FC whenever he wishes."
"During his visit, Jadon was nothing but professional, humble, and generous with his time. 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 for both his accomplishments and the way he conducted himself during his visit, not the unwarranted criticism that has followed."
"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 to him."
Potential destinations
Qatari outfit Al-Rayyan are among the clubs linked with a move for Sancho this summer, with the winger reportedly open to a move to the Middle East. However, the Saudi Pro League remains a possibility.
