Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho had a cameo appearance to forget for Borussia Dortmund on Friday.
In Dortmund’s 3-0 victory against Freiburg, the 23-year-old was unable to bury his chances, missing three in just seven minutes on the pitch.
Sancho, who rejoined Dortmund after enduring a four-month ban at United for refusing to apologise to Erik ten Hag, had earned a starting role at his loanee club. He played in consecutive wins over Koln and Bochum. But Sancho picked up a muscle injury that caused him to miss the draw against Heidenheim, before he came on as Marco Reus’ replacement on Friday night.
But Sancho looked jaded during the brief seven minutes he was on - the winger missed several chances, including a golden opportunity in stoppage time. Julian Brandt found Sancho unmarked at the back post, but the Englishman's left-footed effort was tame and easily saved by goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
It comes after reports suggested that Sancho could depart Old Trafford for a fee ranging between €46 million and €58.55 million.
CaughtOffside reports that Dortmund is keen on securing Sancho on a permanent basis in the summer when his loan is up. The Bundesliga club hopes that Sancho himself will be able to exert pressure on United to let him leave at a cut-rate.
There is a sense of confidence among Dortmund officials that they can negotiate a lower asking price, considering the agreed-upon loan fee of €3-4 million, which includes his salary.
However, a potential stumbling block lies in the wages. While at Dortmund, Sancho's maximum gross earnings could be capped at €10 million, which is half of what he earns at United.
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