Manchester United will only sanction a permanent departure for Jadon Sancho, having seen talks over a swap deal with PSG collapse earlier this summer.
Sancho was exiled by boss Erik ten Hag after a falling out last September, but was brought back into the fold in pre-season. But United have spent much of the transfer window attempting to move the Englishman on.
French giants PSG had looked his most likely destination, as part of a swap deal involving Manuel Ugarte. But such an agreement now appears to be dead in the water, though United are still pursuing Ugarte.
Instead, Juventus have now moved into pole position to sign Sancho. The Serie A giants have opened talks over a deal to bring the winger to Turin before the end of the window in six days time.
But according to The Athletic, a financial agreement that satisfies both teams is expected to be difficult to achieve. United are looking for a fee of £40million for the 24-year-old, though no suitors have so far shown a willingness to match that valuation.
Though they loaned Sancho out to Borussia Dortmund in January, the Red Devils are this time demanding a permanent sale only. Club chiefs would only consider another loan deal if it makes sense from a profit and sustainability view.
That would mean Juve fully cover Sancho’s salary, as well as pay a loan fee and include an obligation to sign him permanently in the deal. There is a belief that United would rather keep Sancho than let him leave on loan without significant financial benefit.
Despite being a distance from an agreement, Juventus are seen as being Sancho's most likely destination. The Serie A side are keen to sign two wingers before Friday's deadline, with sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli a fan of the Englishman.
Juve are expected to submit a loan offer with a salary-contribution deal but may well wait until the window’s final days to press for an agreement. Sancho was left out of the United squad for their opening day win over Fulham last week.
Boss Ten Hag stated an ear infection played some part in his absence, but it was a selection decision. The Dutchman clarified Sancho's future ahead of United's trip to Brighton on Saturday.
“I hope we will have a squad with double positioning and, when we go into the season after September 1 (with the transfer window closed), that means you can’t select all the players but you need them all throughout the season,” he said.
“We have to manage it, the attitude of the players is very important, sometimes they will be disappointed. They have to deal with it, you win as a squad. The prizes are decided next May, and until then we need all the players in the squad and highly motivated, that is not an expectation, that is a demand.”