Jadon Sancho hasn't done enough to earn another chance at Man Utd despite Borussia Dortmund's Champions League heroics

Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl described Sancho as "an absolute difference-maker" after brokering the loan deal with United, which was certainly true in his first spell at Signal Iduna Park. Sancho hit 50 goals and laid on 57 assists in 137 appearances for BVB between 2017 and 2021, after making the brave decision to leave Manchester City's academy and build a new life in Germany.

He was a deadly weapon for Dortmund during that period, as through a combination of dazzling trickery on the ball and intelligence he was able to carve defences open at will, and more often than not had the end product to match. When United finally secured his signature after nearly two years of negotiations, it felt like a major coup.

But the Old Trafford faithful have yet to see that version of Sancho up close. He's had his moments, the most notable of which saw him score a superb solo goal in a 2-1 victory over Liverpool last season, but he has largely flatted to deceive.

Sancho is a confidence player, and he's seemingly never been operating with a full tank in Manchester. Those struggles haven't gone away since his return to Dortmund either, which is somewhat understandable given he spent the best part of five months training alone after his fall out with Ten Hag.

The former City youth starlet set up a goal on his second debut for Dortmund, but it proved to be a false dawn. Sancho also failed to score in his next seven games in all competitions, and after a particularly ineffective display at Union Berlin, Kehl was forced to change his tune on the winger, as he admitted to Ruhr Nachrichten: "Jadon isn't the old Jadon yet, but he can't be after two months."

Sancho finally broke his duck during a visit to Werder Bremen, reminding everyone of the incredible skill he has in his locker with a dazzling run and finish to score what would turn out to be Dortmund's winning goal. He left his marker for dead with a clever piece of footwork and turn of pace before calmly slotting the ball home, which led to an outpouring of relief.

"It felt really good. I stayed positive, even if my performance didn't always show it and I've disappointed some people a bit in recent weeks," Sancho told BVB's official website. "I'm not entirely satisfied with the game in Bremen either; I could've played better and contributed more."

Four days later, Sancho delivered again, putting Dortmund 2-1 up on aggregate in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against PSV with a perfectly placed low shot from just outside the box. And in his most recent Bundesliga outing against RB Leipzig, Sancho produced another magnificent strike from a difficult angle to become the highest-scoring Englishman in the history of the German top-flight.

Only special players are capable of scoring goals of that standard. But in Sancho's case, they just make his lack of overall lack of contribution all the more baffling.

Although Sancho's introspection when it comes to his performance is refreshing, he's not doing enough to change his situation. He's clearly stuck in a cycle of self-doubt, and it remains to be seen whether he can rediscover his passion for the game.

Sancho is working hard enough to justify his spot in Edin Terzic's line up, and certainly looks fit enough despite being exiled at United in the first half of the season. The problem is, he's lost the fearless edge that made him so exciting to watch in his younger years.

Dortmund can't rely on Sancho to make the difference in the final third anymore. He's taking no risks in possession, often cutting back inside for a simple pass instead of attacking his marker. And on the rare occasions he does complete a one-on-one take-on, Sancho doesn't have the courage to keep driving forward towards the box, or to play a trickier ball that might just catch the opposition off guard.

“Both I notice and Jadon notices that he is not yet at his absolute best, but that is completely normal for us," Terzic told Sport 1 before Dortmund's 4-1 loss to Leipzig at the weekend. "We knew that. But we see Jadon perform an action in every training session that shows his extraordinary talent. We see how diligent he is with the tasks and how hard he works on them.”

The fact that Sancho is currently unable to translate his training displays to a competitive setting suggests he's put up a mental barrier after his first two years at United. He couldn't deal with the extra scrutiny that comes with playing for one of the world's biggest clubs, which has turned him into a more hesitant player, one who may be consciously trying to be more efficient instead of flashy in order to escape any further criticism.

In Sancho's defence, he swapped one team suffering an identity crisis for another in January. Dortmund have endured a pretty miserable Bundesliga campaign, and after their battering at the hands of Leipzig it will take a miracle for them to make the top-four.

Fortunately, fifth-place will probably still be enough to qualify for the Champions League, with Germany set to earn an extra spot due to their standing as the second-highest ranking nation in UEFA's coefficient table. They may yet gain direct entry by winning the competition regardless after making it through to the semi-finals, where they will come up against Luis Enrique's unpredictable Paris Saint-Germain.

But it's fair to say Dortmund have massively overachieved in Europe, while benefitting from favourable draws against PSV and Atletico Madrid in the first two knockout stages. Terzic admitted his players were "too passive" after a recent draw with Bayer Leverkusen, who have stormed to their first ever Bundesliga crown under Xabi Alonso despite operating on a far lower budget than Dortmund's.

BVB don't want for collective spirit, but they don't have a clear tactical philosophy, which hasn't helped Sancho's cause. They have the tools to pull off a huge Klassiker win over Bayern Munich one week, only to let themselves down with the disjointed performances that underpinned their recent losses to Stuttgart and Leipzig.

There is no toxic atmosphere at Signal Iduna Park, unlike at Old Trafford, but Sancho is still having to shoulder big expectations in a side that doesn't compare to the greats ones of the past, which may be one of the reasons he is still struggling to express himself freely on the pitch.

Back when Dortmund owned Sancho outright, he was one of their most prized assets, but they also had to put up with his childish behaviour. As per Sport BILD, Sancho had a habit of staying up too late playing video games in his downtime, and then regularly reported late to training.

Ten Hag has also reportedly had issues with Sancho's timekeeping. At the start of the 2023-24 campaign, the United boss cited a dip in training levels as the reason for Sancho's omission from his squad, but according to The Athletic, the Dutchman had also demanded he turn up at Carrington an hour earlier than the rest of the squad to improve his punctuality.

However, it does appear Sancho is now maturing, as GOAL can confirm Dortmund chiefs have been impressed with his professionalism over the past four months. It might not look like it at times, but Sancho is enjoying his football again and he's loved by all the fans that make up Signal Iduna Park's famous 'Yellow Wall'.

All of that works in his favour should he already be thinking about a fresh start at Old Trafford in the summer, but much will depend on whether Ten Hag is still in the United hot seat. The former Ajax boss was asked if he could draft Sancho back into his plans after seeing him reach the last four in the Champions League with Dortmund, to which he responded: "No (nothing has changed about his future), but we know Jadon Sancho is a fantastic football player, so that is not a surprise for us. That is not the issue."

Sancho could have said sorry to Ten Hag at any point over the the past seven months, but clearly still feels he has been unfairly treated. There won't be any room for Sancho to revive his United career unless Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS decide to bring in a new head coach, which will be a distinct possibility should Ten Hag fail to oversee a strong end to the campaign.

But even if Sancho does indeed outlast the Dutchman, do United really need him? He hasn't made a strong enough case to finally take Marcus Rashford's spot on the left wing, and Alejandro Garnacho is flourishing on the right.

It would be better for United to cut their losses on Sancho now, while his stock is still reasonably high. His loan to Dortmund has offered no fresh evidence he could still make the grade at Old Trafford, and no one benefits if he's back on the bench next season.

According to Sky Sports, Sancho would be open to staying at Dortmund on a permanent basis, but United will demand a €40m (£34m/$43m) fee, which is considered to be "insurmountable" for the German giants. Booking another year of Champions League football will put BVB in a better financial position, but Kehl has played down the prospect of reaching an agreement with United.

“In the end, it will take money (to sign Sancho). A lot of money. Definitely more than we have at the moment, that’s clear,” the Dortmund director said to Sport 1 in March. “We got over €80m for Jadon. Manchester United will of course also have an interest in either bringing him back in the summer or selling him in a deal that makes sense for them. Whether that also makes sense for us remains to be seen.”

What will happen to Sancho if Dortmund can't afford him? He was also linked with West Ham early in the winter transfer window, and there may be other mid-table Premier League clubs that smell an opportunity when the market reopens, even though he still has two years left on his contract in Manchester.

In truth, maybe he'd be better off at that level. Sancho doesn't look like a winger with world-class potential anymore, and has no chance of getting back into the England squad on current form. Some players thrive under the spotlight while others fold, and Sancho just hasn't been able to cope with the pressure at United. To rediscover his spark, it might be necessary to accept a step down the ladder.

If Dortmund go on to defy their underdog status and win the Champions League, the clamour for United to give him a second chance will increase, but it won't change the fact he's a shadow of his former self. Even at the young age of 24, it's entirely possible that Sancho has already passed his peak.