Unai Emery says Jadon Sancho could have a future at Aston Villa, but only if he continues to improve as he has been doing after an underwhelming start.
The 25-year-old is on loan with the Villains from Manchester United, having previously spent loan stints with Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea away from Old Trafford.
The England international has made 23 appearances in all competitions, with his one goal coming in the Europa League.
Sancho has featured fairly regularly in the Premier League, making five starts and nine substitute appearances, providing one assist so far, which came in the draw with Bournemouth on Saturday.
It has not exactly been a breath-taking stint at Villa Park so far for him and Emery admits that he was not impressed in the early stages of his time at the club.
However, the manager feels Sancho has worked hard and improved and wants to see more of the same from him over the rest of the season.
‘The first part of the season was not enough. He was working, he was trying, but he was not achieving the performance we needed,’ Emery said of Sancho.
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‘But the second part of the season, we are involving now, one month ago, he’s getting better.
‘He’s getting this challenge, like something for him, for us. I spoke with him a few times about the challenge we have with him, he has with us, and he must be very, very demanding himself and consistent with himself, like he is now, but more and more.
‘It’s not time to wait for anyone. We need now to be focused everybody and to be everybody with their wishes, their qualities and their preparation to play helping the team.
‘We believe in him at the beginning of the season, we are still believing in him in December, and I still believe in him now, and of course, I think now he’s getting better and helping more, and he’s deserving to play more minutes like he’s doing.
‘He’s a fantastic player. Hopefully, he can help us increasing his qualities in our structure, like he is doing progressively.’
Sancho’s Manchester United contract expires this summer, although the Red Devils have the option to extend if by another year if they want to.
Jadon Sancho's Premier League career
Apps: 103
Goals: 12
Assists: 11
Asked if he has thought about signing Sancho on a permanent deal at Villa, Emery said: ‘Not yet, but he is a fantastic player.
‘Hopefully he can help us by increasing his qualities in our structure like he is doing.
‘He will need another contract, and maybe it could be here. If he plays his best football, we will want him. But also other teams could be involved in the interest for him.
‘This is football and matches are all important for every player and the club’s future, how we can achieve our objective.’
Villa are back in Premier League action on Wednesday night when they host Brighton and look to improve on a sticky run of results which has seen them win just one of their last five league games.
‘We are enjoying the process, we are competing, we are feeling comfortable how we are doing our season,’ said Emery. ‘Up and down sometimes, but more up than down, we were a lot of matches in a row winning.
‘Now, we had two defeats at home, and can understand something can happen. We analyse with the players, we analyse those matches, and of course, we are trying to avoid some mistakes we did, or some circumstances we had.
‘But now, I am positive. The players as well, they are working very well every day. They played a fantastic game on Saturday, competing fantastic in Bournemouth, and tomorrow, we have a new challenge.’