Superstar set for BVB move as blockbuster transfer edges closer

Concrete talks over personal terms are now underway. It is clear that Sancho will have to accept a significant pay cut from his current salary of around €15 million per year, and BVB are said to have informed the winger of this weeks ago.

Sancho is open to the cut and, according to Sky, would prefer a move to Dortmund despite several other suitors worldwide, including Juventus Turin.

BVB would not have to pay a transfer fee, as Sancho’s contract with Manchester United expires at the end of the season. The 26-year-old has no future with the Red Devils; he is currently on loan at Aston Villa until the end of June, with limited success.

Sancho initially moved to Dortmund from Manchester City’s youth academy at 17 and quickly established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s best players during his time at BVB. In 2021, United paid a hefty €85 million transfer fee for Sancho, yet he never quite lived up to the lofty expectations at Old Trafford.

Having fallen out with then-United manager Erik ten Hag a few months earlier, Sancho returned to Borussia in January 2024. During his temporary return, he rediscovered his form, helping BVB reach the Champions League final, and the club attempted to secure a permanent transfer that summer. The deal fell through due to financial constraints, so United loaned him first to Chelsea and then to Villa.

In Birmingham, too, he failed to recapture his peak form but still showed enough flashes of ability to intrigue suitors. For months, the rumour mill has churned out reports of a potential return to Dortmund.

BVB manager Niko Kovac has reportedly told the club’s hierarchy that he backs signing Sancho. The Croatian coach is known for demanding discipline and defensive work-rate, qualities Sancho has not always demonstrated; nevertheless, Kovac is convinced he can guide the winger onto the right path. There is no doubting Sancho’s ability to unlock defences and transform games.

The versatile winger could slot into the squad place vacated by Julian Brandt, who is set to leave BVB on a free transfer this summer and is linked with Atlético Madrid. Sancho also enjoys strong backing from Borussia president Hans-Joachim Watzke. “He loves Jadon Sancho,” Sky reported at the end of March, adding that Watzke was actively pushing behind the scenes for the 23-time England international’s transfer.

Sporting director Lars Ricken told Sport Bild that the club is seeking “an attacking player who brings quality, can help us immediately and doesn’t demand a fantastical transfer fee”, adding, “We assess whether they can make us better. We’re doing the same with Jadon.”