Jadon Sancho faces two significant contractual conditions should he wish to secure a return to former club Borussia Dortmund, according to German newspaper Bild.
Sancho is currently a free agent after his Manchester United contract expired at the end of June. Manchester United opted against extending his deal, seeking to recoup a transfer fee rather than let him leave for free at the end of his contract. The club is looking to cut its losses on the winger, who joined from Dortmund for a reported £73 million in 2021.
For Sancho to facilitate a return to the Bundesliga side for a third spell, reports suggest he would need to agree to a heavily performance-based contract and waive any signing bonus. Sancho previously starred for Dortmund in a four-year spell before his move to Manchester United, and he spent the second half of the 2023-24 season on loan at the club.
Dortmund CEO Carsten Cramer addressed speculation about Sancho's potential return, stating, "There’s hardly a name that electrifies the people of Dortmund more than Jadon." However, he declined to comment on specific names, adhering to the club's policy. "Jadon hasn’t done anything wrong, he’s an impeccable young man," Cramer added.
Concerns at Dortmund reportedly center on Sancho's fitness levels, as he has not consistently performed at a high level for an extended period over the past five years. It is believed that it may take time for him to regain full match fitness.
During his two spells at Dortmund, Sancho made 158 appearances, scoring 53 goals and providing 67 assists. His time at Manchester United was largely remembered for a public disagreement with then-manager Erik ten Hag. He also had unsuccessful loan spells at Chelsea and Aston Villa in recent seasons. Despite these struggles, Sancho remarkably featured in the finals of Europe's three major club competitions across different seasons during his loan spells.
Earlier this month, reports indicated that agreements in principle were in place with clubs in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, while clubs in Europe, including Turkey, were also showing interest. Sancho is reportedly taking his time to decide on his next destination. In the meantime, he has been training and keeping fit at Flixton FC, a club in the 10th tier of English football. His presence at Flixton led the club to issue a statement clarifying he was not on trial.