Jadon Sancho would have to accept a heavily performance-based contract and waive a signing bonus to secure a return to Borussia Dortmund this summer, according to German newspaper Bild.
The England winger is a free agent after his Manchester United contract expired at the end of June. The club decided not to activate an option to extend the agreement by another year, a move intended to help secure a transfer fee but which ultimately saw Manchester United cut their losses on the player.
Sancho joined Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund in a £73m deal in 2021 and has been linked with a possible third spell at the Bundesliga club.
He first established himself at Dortmund during a four-year spell before returning on loan for the second half of the 2023-24 season. The 25-year-old made 158 appearances across his two periods at the club, scoring 53 goals and providing 67 assists.
Bild reports that Dortmund are considering offering Sancho a route back into the club, but only if he accepts terms designed to limit the financial risk. Those conditions would reportedly include a contract weighted significantly towards performance-related payments, while Sancho would not receive a signing-on fee.
Dortmund chief executive Carsten Cramer was asked about the possibility of the winger returning during an appearance on Sky90.
‘There’s hardly a name that electrifies the people of Dortmund more than Jadon – that’s just the way it is, that’s been the case throughout the entire summer break,’ Cramer said.
‘Jadon hasn’t done anything wrong, he’s an impeccable young man.
‘But we consistently handle it this way, we don’t comment on any names at all.’
Sancho’s fitness is understood to be a particular concern for Dortmund. He has rarely maintained the highest level of performance over a sustained period during the past five years, meaning it could take time for him to regain full match sharpness.
His time at Manchester United was largely disappointing and is best remembered for his public dispute with then-manager Erik ten Hag. Sancho also endured underwhelming loan spells at Chelsea and Aston Villa during the past two seasons.
Despite those difficulties, he remarkably played in the final of each of Europe’s three major club competitions in different seasons while on loan with Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and Aston Villa.
The winger’s options are not limited to a return to Germany. Daily Mail Sport reported earlier this month that agreements in principle had been reached with a number of clubs in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East. European clubs, including teams in Turkey, are also monitoring the situation closely.
Sancho is taking his time before deciding on his next destination.
In the meantime, he has been maintaining his fitness with 10th-tier side Flixton FC. Sancho visited the club’s Valley Ground and trained with the non-league team.
His presence caused such a surprise that Flixton later issued a statement clarifying that he ‘was not on trial with the club’.
