Deadline day came and went without too much fuss for Manchester United, but the club have already completed their first major transfer for next summer. Well, almost.

If all goes to plan, Jadon Sancho will swap Old Trafford for Stamford Bridge permanently next summer. The former Borussia Dortmund forward joined Chelsea - initially on loan - last summer and will move for a transfer fee rising to £25million on the proviso one small team clause is met before then.

An obligation to buy was included in the initial agreement. However, that will only activate if Chelsea finish 14th or above in the Premier League this season.

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As things stand, that appears to be almost a foregone conclusion. It would take a significant drop off for the fourth-placed side to end up that low down in the standings come the final knockings of this campaign.

Chelsea, who overcame London rivals West Ham on Monday night, sit in fourth spot with 43 points from 24 games. They currently hold a 16-point cushion on Tottenham Hotspur in 14th position.

Explaining the decision to allow Sancho to leave last summer, now-departed sporting director Dan Ashworth said: "We felt we had enough depth in that particular position to be able to cover it, as we've got four really good wide players, Jadon was a fifth, and it just enabled us to make that decision.

"If it was good for him and good for us it was something we were willing to consider."

Things have changed dramatically since then, though, on and off the pitch with Ashworth no longer at the club. A subsequent change in the dugout - with Ruben Amorim replacing sacked Erik ten Hag - has resulted in United also tweaking their system to a 3-4-3 favoured by the Portuguese - who arrived at Old Trafford from Sporting CP.

In turn, the need for out-and-out wide players - including Sancho - has been relaxed. Antony and Marcus Rashford found that out to their detriment in the January transfer window - as they completed loan moves to Real Betis and Aston Villa respectively with United unable to replace them on deadline day.

Although there could, potentially, be a way back for Antony and Rashford in some guise, the same does not go for Sancho, at least as and when Chelsea hit their team target to activate his permanent transfer.