Jadon Sancho's high-risk decision to leave Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017 has paid rich dividends for him as he has since emerged as one of the most sought-after prospects in European football after just two-and-a-half seasons with the Bundesliga giants.
The 19-year-old has racked up an impressive 11 goals and 12 assists in 22 appearances for the Black and Yellow outfit so far this season and has contributed to goals in his last four competitive games for the club.
His efforts have, unsurprisingly, attracted the interest of a plethora of European clubs, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Barcelona all keeping tabs on his situation at BVB.
Recent reports have claimed that Chelsea have added the English sensation to their list of transfer prospects as Frank Lampard prepares to revamp his squad to strengthen their challenge for Champions League qualification. The winger himself is believed to be unsettled at BVB and is reportedly looking for a way out.
The west London giants, who have been on a poor Premier League run of form recently, have reportedly given Lampard a £150 million war chest after FIFA reduced their transfer ban earlier this month, allowing them to purchase reinforcements this January.
While the Blues have struggled to find a replacement for the influential Eden Hazard and could see the potential departure of Willian, signing Sancho is unlikely to guarantee similar success as it comes with its own set of drawbacks.
In this article, we take a look at three reasons why Chelsea should not try to sign the Borussia Dortmund sensation this January:
#1 Potential to disrupt Callum Hudson-Odoi's development under Frank Lampard
The purchase of Sancho may be more appealing to Chelsea because of what it adds to their current youthful revolution but as with any transfer, the move has the potential to disrupt the progress of fellow players, particularly winger, Callum Hudson-Odoi, who committed his future to the club by signing a new five-year-contract back in September.
The Blues academy graduate was tipped for a departure last January when he handed in a transfer request after the London giants rejected a £35 million bid for him from Bayern Munich. The teenager only signed a contract extension after he was given assurances about his future as a regular member of Lampard's team.
Since his recovery from an Achilles injury, the 19-year-old has struggled to get back to his best form, with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Willian looking like the preferred wide men under Lampard. In certain games, however, the youngster has proven himself capable of brilliant game-changing moments and has been efficient enough in the final third, registering one goal and four assists for the club this season.
The arrival of Sancho at Stamford Bridge could, therefore, adversely impact the dynamics of the team as Hudson-Odoi may find his position in the team threatened and this could be compounded by the fact that he had previously been left behind in the team compared to the likes of Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, and Reece James.
Also Read: Borussia Dortmund Transfer News
#2 The scrutiny that awaits him in the form of the British media
Sancho has mostly been absolved of the pressures and criticisms of the British media during his time in the Bundesliga and a move to Chelsea for a mouth-watering fee is bound to put his performances under a massive scanner at the hands of the press.
One need only look at the likes of Paul Pogba and Raheem Sterling to understand the amount of scrutiny that comes with a big Premier League deal.
Such big expectations and ruthless examinations are bound to affect a player's performances if he isn't strong-willed or experienced enough to handle negative commentaries on the big stage.
It still remains to be seen if Sancho will be able to handle the pressure associated with playing for a big Premier League club like Chelsea.
#3 BVB's valuation of the winger may be a little too much for an unfinished product
It comes as no surprise that a player who is sought after by several European giants would command such an astounding fee in the transfer market. Sancho has been linked with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona, in the last few months but Borussia Dortmund have made it clear that they would not be selling the youngster for a fee below £100 million.
The 19-year-old signed a new £190,000-a-week deal with BVB back in August, allowing them to further increase their asking price for the teenager thereby making it more difficult for clubs to tempt the Bundesliga giants with any ordinary offer.
The Englishman's asking price could be considered a little too extravagant for a player who has only two senior professional seasons under his belt with no experience in the Premier League. The highly-rated teenager may have impressed during his time in Germany but for £100 million, he would be expected to make an immediate impact on Chelsea, who are looking to overturn their recent fortunes and compete for a top-four finish.
Instead of paying the staggering amount for Sancho, the Blues could be better off securing some high-value signatures like those of sensational wing duo Leon Bailly and Samuel Chukwueze, players who boast of supreme dribbling and creative abilities, for under the price that it would cost for the Bundesliga sensation.
While the signing of Sancho would be a massive statement from Chelsea's new manager, one can think of much better ways to invest their money when the upcoming transfer window opens.