The Manchester United-Jadon Sancho saga continues, as sporting director Michael Zorc remains publicly hopeful of the England international staying put.
Reports in Germany, meanwhile, suggest that BVB are already lining up a replacement...in the form of ex-Man Utd attacker Memphis Depay.
For all the Sancho debacle is rapidly becoming tiresome, the interest from Old Trafford is genuine. This was the case when 90min last brought you an update on the situation at the end of May, and remains true now, with just a disagreement over a fee standing in the way of the deal's completion. Dortmund are said to be chasing something in the region of €100m, while United are not keen to go anywhere near that high.
Jadon Sancho to Liverpool or Manchester United... ? pic.twitter.com/Nwte51vMF5
— 90min (@90min_Football) July 29, 2020
The German side, however, seem prepared to go the distance to attain as high a fee as possible for a player who scored 20 and assisted 20 in all competitions last season.
Zorc, who briefed Bild on the situation this week, said: "Jadon is an outstanding footballer. With his age he has a quota of goal participations that I have never seen before.
"I would be glad if he stayed with us this season. And he also has a contract."
There is a £20m gap between #mufc's valuation of Jadon Sancho and Borussia Dortmund's asking price of £100m. Sporting director Michael Zorc is making plans for Sancho to leave and expects negotiations to go on throughout the summer #mulive [@mcgrathmike]
— utdreport (@utdreport) July 22, 2020
That stance, however, is slightly undermined by Bild's claims that Dortmund are already looking to replace Sancho. Depay, who struggled in a two-year stint at Old Trafford before re-inventing himself as a prolific forward for Lyon in Ligue 1, is said to be a target, with the player keen to leave for a new challenge after missing the second half of last season with injury.
With his contract up in 2021, it's said he'd cost around €44m, meaning he would represent a good value-for-money replacement...provided it's the Lyon Depay who arrives in Dortmund, and not the United one.
I think it’s time! ⏳⚽️ #WalkInFaithNotBySight #BackLikeINeverLeft pic.twitter.com/8Wnia0GFr5
— Memphis Depay (@Memphis) July 30, 2020
Depay scored seven goals in 53 appearances for United. He's since scored 53 in 134 for Lyon.
Valencia's Ferran Torres was briefly linked as a potential plan B to Sancho, but it now seems he will join Sancho's former employers Manchester City, after David Silva helped convince the 20-year-old to link up with Pep Guardiola's team.
Source : 90min