Chelsea have chosen to pay a £5m penalty to Manchester United to get out of their obligation to buy Jadon Sancho permanently at the end of the season. Sancho, 25, spent the last season on loan at the Blues, joining from United last August on an initial deal until the end of June.

Sancho fell short of establishing himself as a no-brainer for Chelsea to sign permanently, and particularly on anything approaching his United salary. But he ends this short stint back in London with his reputation improved and with a winners’ medal in his pocket. There will be no bad feeling.

Chelsea have paid a £5million penalty fee to Manchester United after failing to agree terms to sign Jadon Sancho permanently and have checked on the potential signing of AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.