Borussia Dortmund are allegedly a concrete option for Jadon Sancho

Jadon Sancho has been frozen out of the Manchester United squad by head coach Erik ten Hag, which could mean the player may depart in the winter transfer window.

Former Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho has had a tough time at Manchester United since making the move from Germany in the summer of 2021. He has by and large failed to hit the heights of his performances in Dortmund, and has been a constant target of media speculation.

Life under the “Manchester-microscope” has clearly not done the player any good, with the player now completely frozen out of the squad by head coach Erik ten Hag due to “disciplinary issues”. For Sancho to be reintegrated, ten Hag is demanding an apology from Sancho, which at this current juncture in time does not seem forthcoming.

The current situation Sancho finds himself in clearly shows a rift between the player, the coach, and in extension the club.  If reports are to be believed, this may see the English winger try to make for the exit door in January should the situation not rectify itself.

The possible options for Sancho are currently said to be either Borussia Dortmund, or Nottingham Forest. As always, there is a dash of nostalgia surrounding the idea of a Jadon Sancho return to the Westfalenstadion, where, in truth, it is likely that the player would have a good chance of rediscovering his form of old and really shining on the pitch again. For Sancho, it would certainly be a more career-sound move as he would be returning to a familiar environment where he can not only play Champions League football, but also re-establish himself as an important player for the club. Nottingham Forest also has it’s benefits however, as he would be reunited with his former England Under-17 coach, Steve Cooper.

On the Dortmund end of things, there are a few issues however. For one, the club are quite stacked when it comes to winger depth, with Donyell Malen, Karim Adeyemi, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Julien Duranville all posing as competition for the player. There is also the additional caveat surrounding Sancho’s wages, which are said to be upwards of 300,000 euros a week at United. The player would likely have to agree a substantial wage reduction, and the club would have to agree a reasonable transfer fee for the player with his current club.

With the player frozen out as things stand however, it is unlikely that United could (or would) command a fee anywhere near what they paid for Sancho when he initially left Dortmund for England. In fact, with the situation complicating by the day, the club could perhaps be convinced of a loan to buy option. This, coupled with Sancho’s alleged aversion to joining a club in the Saudi Pro League so early in his career could mean that wages are currently not the top of his priority list; which means he may be simply looking for regular football again in a more hospitable environment.

This is of course merely speculation, but under the right circumstances, a move for Sancho could make sense. As we’ve noted in the past when it comes to a Sancho return, the conditions would have to be perfect, and at this time those conditions don’t seem to be apparent as of now.