Director admits chance of signing Manchester United ace in summer is ‘not great’

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Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl admits that Jadon Sancho is unlikely to join the German giants permanently from Premier League powerhouses Manchester United.

News of Jadon Sancho’s Old Trafford departure had some proclaiming this the end of a rather unhappy era. But it’s not quite that simple.

Manchester United – and INEOS, for that matter – decided against including an option-to-buy clause in Sancho’s Dortmund contract. What’s more, with Erik ten Hag’s own future uncertain, do not rule out the prospect of the former outliving the latter, especially if Sancho can build on what has been a positive start to life back in Germany.

Kehl, meanwhile, accepts that Sancho’s return to Dortmund is likely to be a short-lived one. Particularly with the Red Devils hoping to recoup much of that £73 million investment if they do decide to cash in.

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“Realistically, the chance is not that great. Manchester United paid 85 million euros for him two years ago. A purchase option was not financially feasible for us,” Kehl tells Sky Germany.

“We will see what happens in the summer. If the player develops as we hope, there will be other interested parties.”

Sancho needed only 22 minutes to mark his Dortmund comeback with an assist, setting up Marco Reus during Saturday’s 3-0 triumph away to Bundesliga basement-dwellers Darmstadt. The question, however, is not really one of ability but of attitude.

An attitude Kehl thinks has improved since his first spell at Signal Iduna Park, despite that very high-profile collapse in his relationship with Erik ten Hag.

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“I feel he’s changed. He’s become more mature in his personality,” Kehl argues.

“He knows that his role at Borussia Dortmund is demanding. So far, he has always been punctual. I think we’ll have fewer problems than before.”

As things stand, the likelihood is that Sancho has still played his final game for Man United, with the Red Devils now setting their sights on the likes of Michael Olise.