Manchester United are reportedly in talks with Borussia Dortmund over a return for outcast forward Jadon Sancho. Erik ten Hag is set to get his way after banishing Sancho from the first-team squad at Old Trafford, a move that is set to prompt a sorry end to the England international’s Red Devils career.
Sancho has not played for United since August and was exiled following the club’s 3-1 defeat by Arsenal. Ten Hag claimed that Sancho’s training performances had failed to meet his expectations, with the 23-year-old responding furiously and publicly branding his manager a liar.
United signed Sancho from Dortmund for around £68m in the summer of 2021 and are reportedly set to send him back to the German club. According to The Athletic, talks have begun over a potential loan move in the January transfer window.
It is unclear what proportion of Sancho’s salary Dortmund will pay but there is reportedly optimism that a deal can be agreed. Sancho excelled at Dortmund in his first spell and reportedly sees it as an ‘ideal’ destination for his exit from United.
The former Manchester City academy prospect became one of Europe’s most highly-rated stars during his time at the Westfalenstadion. He scored 50 goals and provided a further 64 assists in 137 appearances for the Bundesliga club, attracting the attention of United who pursued him over several transfer windows.
That form was never translated after he moved to the Premier League. Sancho scored only 12 goals for United in 82 games across all competitions, assisting just six. It was a major drop-off for a young player previously deemed one of the most prolific in Europe.
Sancho’s United career was effectively over when he complained that he had been made a “scapegoat” for the club’s poor form, just hours after Ten Hag had accused the player of dropping his standards in training. United placed him on a personal training programme and he was forced to spend his time at the club’s Carrington training complex away from his senior colleagues.
Ten Hag demanded an apology from Sancho but he refused to do so. It meant that there was no chance of a return to the first-team set-up, which might have hindered United due to the lack of goals among their forwards this season.
United are not expected to complete any major business this month. Deals could be limited to loans and bargains, with the club having spent nearly £200m on summer signings.