Chelsea Lost “England’s Next Superstar” for £0 – Now He’s Worth £80M

Chelsea Lost “England’s Next Superstar” for £0 – Now He’s Worth £80M.

Chelsea bounced back in the Premier League with a commanding 4-0 victory over Southampton at Stamford Bridge. This win came after three consecutive defeats in all competitions, twice against Brighton & Hove Albion and once to Aston Villa.

The goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Marc Cucurella, and Levi Colwill secured a crucial three points for Enzo Maresca’s team as they prepared for their upcoming Conference League clash against Copenhagen.

The match was particularly important for Nkunku, who had struggled in the Premier League with only two goals and one assist in 22 appearances before this encounter. His confidence boost comes at a crucial time, especially with Nicolas Jackson sidelined due to injury.

Meanwhile, Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho failed to make an impact on the right wing, continuing his struggles in the final third. The England international has now gone nine games without registering a goal or assist for Chelsea.

During the Southampton match, Sancho did not register a single shot on goal, extending his goalless run to 14 competitive matches. His last goal came in a 4-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur, where he managed to find the bottom corner from outside the box.

Despite his loan move from Manchester United, which includes an obligation to buy him for up to £25m, he has failed to justify his price tag at Stamford Bridge.

Statistics from Sofascore reveal Sancho’s underwhelming contributions. He ranks 10th in expected goals (xG) with 1.54, 9th in goals (2), and 6th in big chances created (5). Although he ranks 3rd in key passes per game (1.2) and 4th in assists (4), his performances have not met expectations. Chelsea might be regretting letting go of past academy talents, such as Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.

Chelsea’s Academy Blunder: Letting Gittens Slip Away

According to reports, Chelsea initially had Bynoe-Gittens in their academy but failed to convince him to stay. Instead, he moved to Reading’s youth system, rejecting Cobham’s offer.

Transfermarkt records show that the forward spent the latter half of the 2011/12 season with Chelsea before opting to return to Reading, meaning Chelsea lost him without receiving any compensation.

The academy staff were unable to persuade his family or representatives that Cobham was the best place for him to develop. He remained at Reading for six more years before joining Manchester City’s academy in 2018. However, he never made a senior appearance for City and eventually moved to Borussia Dortmund ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

Bynoe-Gittens flourished in Dortmund’s U19 setup, netting 11 goals and providing five assists in just 20 matches. By the 2022/23 season, he had established himself as a regular in the senior squad. Chelsea may now regret letting such a talent slip away, as he has arguably surpassed Sancho in ability and market value.

Recently, the Mirror reported that Chelsea and Arsenal are keen on signing Gittens. However, Borussia Dortmund has set a staggering £80m asking price for the young winger ahead of the summer transfer window. This highlights Chelsea’s missed opportunity when they failed to retain him as a youth prospect.

The England U21 international, once described as “England’s next superstar” by a German outlet, has amassed 11 goals and four assists across all competitions this season. Football analyst Jacek Kulig also labeled him a “wonderkid.” His statistics further underscore his superiority over Sancho as an attacking force at both league and European levels this season.

24/25 Season Comparison

Sofascore’s data highlights Gittens’ superior ability as a goal scorer and playmaker. He has provided a greater attacking threat, creating more opportunities and accumulating a higher expected assists (xA) tally. Given this, Chelsea would be in a better position had they retained Gittens instead of investing in Sancho.

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While it might be unfair to criticize Chelsea for losing Gittens at such a young age, they may still reflect on what could have been had he stayed at Cobham.

He has since blossomed into a top talent, now commanding a hefty price tag and attracting interest from the same club that once let him go. As Chelsea struggles to get the best out of Sancho, they may find themselves wishing they had held onto a player who has now become one of England’s brightest young stars.

Chelsea Lost “England’s Next Superstar” for £0 – Now He’s Worth £80M