Sancho targeted by UAE second-division side as Roma definitively rule out Serie A move

Jadon Sancho’s search for a new club has taken an unexpected turn, with Arabian Falcons of the UAE Second Division emerging as suitors for the former Manchester United winger — while a potential move to AS Roma has been definitively ruled out.

The Dubai-based club is managed by ex-Liverpool and Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, who confirmed that several prominent free agents have been in contact following the closure of the English transfer window. Shelvey is also targeting Raheem Sterling, with both players understood to be on the club’s shortlist.

Any prospect of Sancho landing in Serie A appears firmly closed. Italian journalist Filippo Biafora reported that Roma have no interest in the 25-year-old, citing his conduct during previous loan discussions while he was still contracted to United. “Honestly, Sancho is perhaps the last name I’d expect if a free agent were to be chosen,” Biafora said. “He’s a player who was also the subject of extensive internal discussion last year. Given his behaviour during calls with the club and the coach, it’s unlikely he’ll be considered.”

Sancho has been without a club since his contract at Old Trafford expired in the summer. The winger arrived from Borussia Dortmund in a £73 million deal but never reproduced the form that had made him one of Europe’s most exciting prospects. Loan spells at Chelsea and Aston Villa failed to reignite his career.

Shelvey, speaking publicly about the club’s recruitment drive, was candid about the opportunity on offer. “Once the UK window shuts, you are scrambling for clubs, so we put out a call to see if there was anyone who was interested,” he said. “There are no strings attached to it. They can leave and go to bigger clubs whenever they are ready. But we can offer that Dubai lifestyle, and bigger names are coming out here.”

The Arabian Falcons already include former Premier League players Danny Simpson and Ravel Morrison in their squad. Shelvey is backed by former Crystal Palace and Southampton winger Jason Puncheon, who serves as director of football at the club.

For Sancho, a move to the UAE Second Division would represent a significant step down from the level at which he made his name, but with European options narrowing and the English window closed, competitive football in the Gulf may be the most immediate route back to the pitch.