Jamie Redknapp has hailed Jadon Sancho following his impactful Chelsea debut against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Sancho’s last-minute loan to Stamford Bridge from Manchester United was undoubtedly one of the most unexpected moves of the summer transfer window given how many wingers Chelsea already have.
However, the England international already appears to be settling into this new home.
Sancho came off the bench at half-time at the Vitality Stadium and went on to create two chances and complete two dribbles, ultimately providing the assist for Christopher Nkunku’s 86th-minute winner.
The 24-year-old lit up what was an otherwise dogged meeting that produced a Premier League-record 14 yellow cards.
‘Transformational’ Sancho has immediate Chelsea impact
Chelsea fans have already started signing Sancho’s name following his impact against Bournemouth.
And Redknapp believes the winger may well prove many wrong and turn his loan to Chelsea into a ‘transformational’ career move.
“Confidence is key in football. When you’re feeling confident, you’re a much better player,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.
“When this transfer happened, I thought it was one of the strangest transfers I’ve seen in years. Predominantly Chelsea are overloaded with wide players – Madueke, Nkunku, Neto, players who can play in the wide area. So you’re thinking: how is he going to get a game in this Chelsea team?
“Chelsea feel it was financially a good one to get in the club. He’s come in and obviously trained well as he took Pedro Neto off at half-time, unless there was an injury, and he came in and looked sharp. There was good chemistry with Cucurella, which sometimes comes naturally in training. And he looks like he’s enjoying his football.
“Let’s be totally honest: at Manchester United he was really poor. He went to Borussia Dortmund and he looked good in the Champions League. He did good things, he’s got his confidence back, his shoulders back and he’s enjoying his football again.
“This might be a transformational move for him, this might get his career back on track. He’s too talented a player.
“Time doesn’t wait for anybody in football, before you know it your career is over. You get to 25, 26 and you think: ‘What am I doing now? I haven’t set the standards I should be.’
“Are you training right? Are you living right? These are questions that have been made against Jadon. What you can’t question is his skill and his ability. So I really hope it works out for him.”
