It is just about “here we go” time, as Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United have finally reached an agreement on the price for right-sided attacking player Jadon Sancho. Sky Sports in Germany is reporting that United and Dortmund have agreed on a transfer fee f about €85m (£73m, $101).
And with this hurdle cleared, a major breakthrough has been reached in this very long-running transfer saga. However, it doesn’t mean the deal is done yet. It could still be a few days yet until this transfer move is officially announced, as there are details to sort out yet.
The two clubs still need to reach an agreement to the structuring of the payment, including what conditional installments will be added to the deal. There are many reasons why the negotiations have dragged on for so long, and the add-ons are a big part of that equation.
Ditto for how the transfer fee payments will be scheduled, as BVB want more of the money up front, while United are seeking to defer more of the cost until later.
Coincidentally, England meets Germany in the Euro 2020 knockout round tomorrow, and that’s a match-up of the nation where Sancho, 21, plays his club ball now vs. the country where he’s going. It’s possible that we won’t see the official statement from the club(s) until Three Lions have played their final game at the Euros.
Typically, big money deals like these always take a long time because there are so many other complicated externalities involved in the process. The staging of Euro 2020 has made it a little more protracted as well. Of course, the Sancho United transfer saga was already long protracted before this summer even began.
However, it’s about to reach the culmination soon!
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
