Jadon Sancho could return to Borussia Dortmund, but two contract conditions stand in the way of a move for the free agent. The Daily Mail Sport reported this week that the 26-year-old would have to forgo a signing bonus and accept a heavily performance-based deal.
Sancho joined Manchester United from Dortmund for £73 million in 2021 but returned on loan in the second half of the 2023-24 season. His time in England was marked by disappointments, including a public falling out with manager Erik ten Hag and underwhelming loan spells at Chelsea and Aston Villa. In his first spell at Dortmund from 2019 to 2021, Sancho made 158 appearances, scoring 53 goals and providing 67 assists.
For a return to Borussia Dortmund, Jadon Sancho would have to meet two key demands from the club. Firstly, the attacker would waive a signing-on fee typically paid upon contract agreement. Secondly, his new contract would need to be heavily weighted with variable, performance-related salary components. These terms reflect Dortmund's caution, aiming to minimize financial risk after five years without sustained high-level performance from Sancho.
BVB chief executive Carsten Cramer addressed the speculation in general terms. "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. He added: "Jadon hasn’t done anything wrong, he’s an impeccable young man." The club does not comment on specific names, however.
A major question mark surrounding a potential signing is Jadon Sancho's current fitness levels. Over the past five years, he has been unable to maintain a consistently high performance level. To stay in shape, Sancho recently trained with English tenth-tier side Flixton FC at their Valley Ground. The club clarified this was not a trial.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund started the new Bundesliga season with a win and sit fifth with three points. Edin Terzić's team won their opening fixture and have a positive goal difference of +2. The current injury list, viewable on our injuries page, includes Giannis Konstantelias, Justin Lerma, Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini.
A return for Sancho would bolster Dortmund's attack, which has scored two goals from one match so far. The next league opponent is 12th-placed 1899 Hoffenheim away on September 5th, a fixture listed in our fixtures schedule. Sancho would be an option for the wing positions and could provide creative impetus.
Negotiations are taking place as Dortmund looks to build on a strong start to the campaign. The team aims to use its good position in the standings. Whether Sancho clears the contractual hurdles will become clear in the coming days. His status as a free agent and his past at BVB make him an interesting, yet risky, transfer target.
