Exactly one week ago today, it appeared that the Jadon Sancho to Manchester United deal was on. Multiple outlets reported that Borussia Dortmund were in advanced talks with United, and that an official announcement would happen in the coming days.
For many, something about the narrative didn’t seem quite right; it just didn’t pass the smell test. For those who held these kind of hunches, they were proven right today as BVB brass have officially ruled out the transfer of the young English international.
?? Michael Zorc presser:
"We plan on having Jadon Sancho in our team this season, the decision is final. I think that answers all our questions." pic.twitter.com/Dy6PwEK3io
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) August 10, 2020
Michael Zorc, Borussia Dortmund Director, said the following as the Bundesliga club began preseason training today: “We plan on having Jadon Sancho in our team this season, the decision is final. I think that answers all our questions.”
He went on to add that the winger has not signed a new contract with the club: “We have already extended his contract one year ago until June 2023.”
So it appears that the German powerhouse was serious when they imposed that deadline of Aug 10 (today) to get a deal done. Sancho trained with the club today, just business as usual.
Apparently, both sides are (or maybe perhaps were) unable to agree on a transfer fee price. Many outlets quoted £105 million as the sum that BVB were seeking, and United’s valuation was a figure far far below that.
Now the question remains- is this just a hardball tactic being employed by BVB? Will United respond to it, and cave in by meeting their demands? Will an already long tedious transfer saga be drawn out even further and further?
Or is this really the end? Given all the conflicting reports out there, how far along were discussions in reality? Watch this space, I guess?
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
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