Scans showed Sancho has not dislocated his right shoulder, but instead has a joint issue. Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
April 2, 2026 10:21 am EDT
On loan Aston Villa winger Jadon Sancho is set to miss a minimum of two to three weeks with a shoulder injury.
Sancho suffered the injury before half-time of Villa’s friendly against Elche last week, in which Unai Emery’s side were defeated 2-1. Villa spent three days in Spain as part of a mid-season camp for players who were not away on international duty.
The 26-year-old, who is on loan from Manchester United, fell awkwardly in the 40th minute, in a challenge with Elche midfielder Gonzalo Villar. After appearing in discomfort, putting his right shoulder in his shirt, Sancho was taken off.
Subsequent scans showed Sancho has not dislocated his right shoulder, but instead has a joint issue in the shoulder.
While there is no precise timeframe for Sancho’s return yet, Villa’s medical staff will monitor him daily and he will only return to training once there is no pain in his shoulder. He is expected to miss two weeks at least, however.
This would rule Sancho out of both Europa League quarter-final legs against Bologna, as well as the trip to Nottingham Forest on April 12, sandwiched between the European fixtures.
Villa hope he will return much earlier than the six-to-eight-week timeframe initially feared by some.
Since joining on a season-long loan last summer, with Villa contributing £160,000 of his weekly salary, Sancho has made 31 appearances across all competitions, scoring once and registering three assists.
Sancho will become a free agent this summer, with his contract at Manchester United expiring. As The Athletic reported last month, his former club Borussia Dortmund have expressed an interest in re-signing the 23-cap England international.
Villa currently sit fourth in the Premier League, five points ahead of fifth-placed, Liverpool.
Apr 2, 2026
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