Borussia Dortmund confirm Jadon Sancho sale to Man Utd
By Tom Gott
Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that winger Jadon Sancho is set to join Manchester United this summer.
United have been chasing Sancho for over a year, but after missing out on his signature last summer in a lengthy transfer debacle, the Red Devils have finally struck a deal worth £72.9m to bring the 21-year-old to Old Trafford.
An agreement was reached on Wednesday, sending the internet into overdrive, and Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke confirmed the imminent transfer on Thursday.
Speaking in a press conference for the unveiling of new Dortmund boss Marco Rose, Watzke said: "We reached a general agreement with Manchester United on the transfer of Jadon Sancho, pending full completion, as there are still some formalities to agree on and the medical check to be completed."
Watzke also revealed that Sancho has explicitly asked for the move, adding: "It was Jadon's express wish to change, we would have liked to keep him. We are not happy about the money but sad that he’s leaving.”
The Bundesliga club have also released a financial report (via DGAP) stating they expect to bring in that sum of money by selling Sancho to United.
"The player Jadon Sancho is about to move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United," the statement read. "Both clubs and the player have reached an agreement.
"If the transfer is realised, Manchester United will pay BVB a fixed transfer fee of £72.9m.
"The contractual details must now be co-ordinated and documented. The formal processing of the transfer is also subject to the successful completion of all necessary medical tests and examinations, a co-ordination procedure with the player's previous club and the proper and timely processing in accordance with the provisions of the FIFA Transfer Matching System.
"With the implementation of this transfer business, the management expects a positive effect on the key earnings figures for the 2021/22 financial year in the amount of around £48m."
United and Dortmund have agreed on a payment plan which will see the English side hand over around £14.6m every year for the next five years.
Should all go according to plan, Sancho is set to sign a five-year contract with United, who will also have the option to extend that by a further year.
Dortmund have been looking at potential replacements for Sancho and have been tipped to move for a handful of players, including Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi, Lille's Jonathan Bamba and, most recently, PSV Eindhoven's Noni Madueke.