Bidding war begins as Dortmund make huge Jadon Sancho decision

Jadon Sancho has been cleared to leave Borussia Dortmund in January if an acceptable offer comes in, according to reports on Thursday.

The England forward, tracked by a host of top clubs, has seen relations between himself and Dortmund become “strained” recently, fuelling speculation that this season will be his last in the Bundesliga with two years remaining on his deal next summer.

Only last month Sancho was left out of the squad by Lucien Favre, who cited “a disciplinary measure” adding that “everything else will remain internal”.

It’s understood the former Man City youth star Sancho was late back from international duty with England.

Sporting director Michael Zorc said Sancho was “testing the boundaries” after growing up very quickly in Germany.

And reports earlier this week claimed Manchester United believe they are at the front of the queue to sign the talented teenager, with talk of a £100m deal slated to go through in the summer.

However, huge claims by the Independent on Thursday actually say the Bundesliga giants are willing to cash in on Sancho in the winter window after he was once again dropped to the bench for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Barcelona. Although he came on at half-time and scored a goal at the Nou Camp, it’s reported that Sancho was again axed due to disciplinary issues and that has been the trigger for Dortmund to decide to sell.

It’s claimed Sancho’s tardiness has been a recurring issue and the winger was late for a team briefing and a training session before the game in Catalonia, much to coach Lucien Favre’s frustration.

The latest episode comes after another claim earlier in the week from The Athletic, who reported Sancho had been left feeling “humiliated and scapegoated” after he was recently substituted in the first half of the 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich.

Favre said Sancho’s withdrawal on 36 minutes had nothing to do with pre-match concerns over the player’s fitness and was a a sole consequence that his performance was “not good enough”.

It has left United rubbing their hands. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted to sign Sancho last summer but Dortmund refused to sell the player, preferring instead to sit on their asset and try and pin him down to a new deal.

Apparently United “consider him a priority target” as they continue to build a squad of young, talented players.

 

Liverpool are also interested but Jurgen Klopp, per the source, does not want to get into an auction for Sancho and the German coach’s “ultimate ambition” would be to sign Paris Saint-German star Kylian Mbappe; that despite PSG’s latest denials the France superstar could leave.

However, with Real Madrid’s charm offensive for Mbappe underway and the huge price tag that comes with the France forward, Liverpool are keeping their options open and hoping to exploit Klopp’s strong ties with his former club Dortmund.

Barcelona and his former club Man City could also consider approaches for the England star, but with January likely coming too soon for both and their priorities both lying elsewhere, a move to Old Trafford, at this stage, looks to be the most likely outcome.

 

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