Borussia Dortmund are interested in signing Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho.
It is thought initial talks have taken place over a loan deal until the end of the season, which would see Sancho return to the Bundesliga club.
Man Utd signed Sancho from Dortmund in the summer of 2021 in a deal worth £73m.
The England international’s contract at Old Trafford is up in 2026, with United holding the option to extend for a further year.
Sancho has not played for United since a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on August 26, after a public falling out with boss Erik ten Hag following his criticisms of the forward’s performances in training.
Jadon Sancho and Erik Ten Hag – credit PA/AP Photo
Since the 23-year-old took to social media to hit out at Ten Hag’s allegations he has been training away from the first-team and has not been picked in a single matchday squad since.
United have been open to offers for the winger with no resolution to the stand-off in sight, and now he could be set for a return to Dortmund.
Man Utd’s new ruthless contract approach and what it might mean for Sancho
Jadon Sancho, Man Utd
In December, Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy reported that Manchester United were willing to implement a more ruthless approach to their process over player contracts in a bid to prioritise the right culture and recruitment strategy over business interests.
Sky Sports News understands this will form part of the directive to strengthen football operations under INEOS.
United would be more willing to terminate contracts if it’s for the greater good, and discussions to this effect have taken place over the Sancho situation.
If an exit route does not materialise for the 23-year-old, United will consider severing ties instead of trying to recoup some of their £73m outlay.
As revealed by Sky Sports News in October, clubs in Serie A, Bundesliga and the Turkish Super Lig have done due diligence on Sancho, with his wage packet being an obstacle.
‘No sign of Sancho reconciliation at Man Utd’
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Sky Sports’ reporters Dharmesh Sheth and Mark McAdam discuss the possibility that Jadon Sancho could leave Manchester United for free despite costing the club £70m
Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth on Transfer Show:
“The way this all started… the timing of it was horrendous as far as Manchester United were concerned. It was just after the Arsenal game on September 3.
“That’s just two days after the summer window closed. Since then, we’ve had close to four months where Sancho hasn’t featured at all.
“There’s been a stand-off between Erik ten Hag and Sancho. There seems to be no sign of a reconciliation.
“I’m told there is tentative interest from clubs at home and abroad.”
Follow the January transfer window
The winter transfer window is now open and will close at 11pm in England and midnight in Scotland on Thursday 1 February, 2024.
To ensure harmonisation with the major leagues in Europe, the closing dates were set following discussions with the EFL, DFL, Serie A, LaLiga, and LFP, who will all close their summer and winter windows on 1 September and 1 February respectively.
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms, while you can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News, including daily transfer shows, and listen to our Transfer Talk podcast.