Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho has admitted that the first half of the season has been “very difficult” for him in the tumultuous few months since the failure of Manchester United’s transfer saga.
United were keen to land Sancho and had been confident to do so since the previous September. But the coronavirus pandemic has seen the Old Trafford club no longer willing to pay more than £ 100million for the player and Dortmund have held firm to a valuation of € 120million (£ 107million).
Sancho was eager to join United – he still is – but stopped before pushing for a transfer, meaning the club’s stalemate on price was unbreakable.
Despite still registering assists every few Bundesliga games, Sancho failed to score for Dortmund himself in 11 league appearances before Christmas. For context, he had five goals under his belt in his first 11 league games last season and would finish with 17.
It was only now since the Christmas holidays that Sancho has finally lost his lead in the Bundesliga, scoring back-to-back wins over Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig.
Dortmund have since changed coaches, sacking Lucien Favre on December 13, and appear to have had a new life under the guidance of interim boss Edin Terzic.
“Obviously this season has been very difficult for me personally,” Sancho told Bundesliga.com.
“So I knew when I left I focused on my game and came back eager to go. I work hard every day in training and on the pitch so I’m just happy to get my goals and assists.
90 mins revealed at the very beginning of this year that Manchester United had not been put off by Sancho’s form, but is convinced that his inability to strike a deal last summer could in fact mean they are in a position to the buy for less than 100 million pounds this year.
But United officials don’t want a repeat of the failed 2020 saga and are looking to craft a swift deal that could be signed before the start of the delayed European Championship in mid-June.
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