Manchester United could soon be saying goodbye to a player that was once their fourth-biggest transfer in club history
Jadon Sancho’s return to Borussia Dortmund has reportedly been approved by manager Niko Kovac, which would bring the curtain down on his disastrous Manchester United career.
The winger, who is presently on loan at Aston Villa, hasn’t featured for United since their 2024 Community Shield loss to Manchester City and has struggled to live up to expectations at Old Trafford following his £73million move in 2021.
Set to conclude his United career with merely 12 goals and six assists in 83 appearances across all competitions, the 26-year-old’s contract is due to run out this summer, with the club facing a massive loss on a player who was once their fourth-most expensive signing ever. United do, however, possess the option to extend Sancho’s deal by a further 12 months.
Despite the impressive nature of Aston Villa’s campaign as Unai Emery’s side appear poised to secure Champions League football while reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, Sancho has played a peripheral role in their achievements.
Sancho has managed just one goal and provided three assists in 33 matches while drawing a blank in the Premier League, meaning he’s found the net only three times in England’s top flight over the past three years.
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Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has claimed that Sancho is poised for a third spell at Dortmund, with the former England star reportedly agreeing to a return to Germany – seemingly on a free transfer – amid mounting uncertainty over his future.
Plettenberg reports that Sancho has reached an agreement despite entertaining interest from elsewhere, and Dortmund boss Niko Kovac has already given the green light for the winger’s arrival.
However, he noted that the final call on bringing Sancho back to the Bundesliga lies with sporting director Ole Book and chief executive Lars Ricken.
Ricken – who devoted his entire 15-year playing career to Dortmund – has already publicly confirmed the club’s interest in Sancho when speaking to Sport Bild.
The executive recently said: “We are currently looking at a lot of players and analysing them. We check whether they can make us better. We are doing the same with Jadon.
“Of course, we are looking for an offensive player who brings quality, can help us immediately, and doesn’t require an unrealistic transfer fee.
“In defence, Niklas Süle is leaving us, and Emre Can will be out for a while. So we are thinking about that area as well.”
Having racked up 53 goals and 67 assists in 158 appearances across his two spells at Dortmund, Sancho produced the finest football of his career in black and yellow – and was even urged to represent the club once more by former team-mate Marco Reus.
The former Germany international departed Dortmund in 2024 after a 12-year stint to join LA Galaxy, and has urged his ex-team-mate to breathe new life into his career at the club, while singing his praises as a footballer.
Speaking to Sport Bild, the 36-year-old said: “My main advice to Jadon is to look for a place where he feels at home again and can rediscover his form. And if that’s at BVB, then it would be good for both him and Dortmund! I have rarely played alongside a player who made such good decisions instinctively and in tight situations.”
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