Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho has shown signs of improvement at Aston Villa, and Unai Emery has not ruled out the possibility of keeping him beyond this season
14:15, 10 Feb 2026Updated 15:03, 10 Feb 2026
Jadon Sancho of Aston Villa(Image: Getty Images)
Unai Emery is interested in keeping Jadon Sancho at Aston Villa beyond this season if the winger continues to show improvement.
The 25-year-old’s contract with Manchester United expires this summer, and he is expected to become a free agent.
Sancho joined Villa on loan on deadline day in September and has since made 23 appearances under Emery.
He recorded his first league goal involvement for the club on Saturday, assisting Morgan Rogers’ opener against Bournemouth. Three weeks earlier, Sancho scored his first goal for Villa in a match against Fenerbahce, and Emery has been pleased with his progress.
“The first part of the season was not enough – he was working and trying, but not achieving the performance we needed,” Emery admitted.
“Now he is getting better. He is getting the challenge for him and us. I spoke with him a few times about the challenge we have with him and that he has with us.
“He must be demanding himself and consistent like he is now. But [we want] more and more. It is not the time to wait. We need everyone with their wishes and qualities.
“We believe in him at the start of the season, December and now. He deserves to play more like he is.”
Ensure our latest Villa headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search
Asked if he has considered the possibility of signing him in the summer, Emery said: “Not yet. But he is a fantastic player. Hopefully he can help us by increasing his qualities in our structure like he is doing.
“He will need another contract, and maybe it could be here. If he plays his best football, we will want him. But also other teams could be involved in the interest for him.
“This is football and each matches are all important for every player’s and the club’s future, how we can achieve our objective.”
Follow our Facebook page!Get more news and AVFC analysis here
The latest Villa headlines sent straight to your phone
Join our Aston Villa WhatsApp group and get the latest breaking news, interviews and opinion sent straight to your phone, plus matchday team news and live updates of all the action. Just click on this link and select ‘Join Community’ to get started. The only proviso is that you must have WhatsApp on your phone to participate. It’s a free service. No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from our Villa writers.
We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest Villa news. If you later decide to opt out, just go to the name at the top of your screen and click ‘Exit Group’. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. Click here to read our Privacy Notice