Borussia Dortmund have not given up hope of signing former Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho following his departure as a free agent earlier this summer. However, internal concerns are growing at the German club as the 26-year-old continues searching for a new team.
Daily Mail Sport reported earlier this week that agreements in principle exist with several clubs across Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. European clubs are also paying close attention, with Turkey identified as one potential landing spot. Sancho is taking his time to choose his next destination.
Sancho joined Manchester United for £73million from Dortmund in 2021, describing the transfer as a "dream come true" at the time. The move quickly soured following the appointment of Erik ten Hag the following year. Sancho played his last game for Manchester United by 26 August 2023 amid a public fall-out with the manager.
He returned to Dortmund on loan in January 2024 before completing further loan spells at Chelsea and Aston Villa during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons respectively. BILD reported that Dortmund chiefs "haven't given up" on Sancho and still regard him highly. A return is not completely off the table if squad needs and financial viability align before the end of the transfer window.
The German publication reported that a lack of concrete movement is raising doubts among the Dortmund hierarchy as the situation drags on.
Internal doubts and physical fitness
Dortmund are continuing to monitor Sancho's development closely because the Englishman spent the best years of his career at the club. However, hierarchy members view his fitness levels as a particular concern. Sancho has rarely performed at the highest level for a sustained period over the past five years, meaning he could require time to reach full speed.
During his initial spell at Dortmund, the former Manchester City academy player scored 50 goals and registered 57 assists in 137 appearances. During his six-month loan spell in 2024, Sancho did not reach those earlier levels but looked far more comfortable while helping the Bundesliga team reach the Champions League final, where they were beaten by Real Madrid.
Former Tottenham and Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann said Sancho "had a rough time finding his rhythm again and settling back in" before looking "good and looking sharp" by the final games of the season. However, the finances involved made a permanent return to Signal Iduna Park highly unlikely, prompting his return to England.
Training at Flixton FC
Following the expiration of his contract, Sancho has been keeping fit at 10th-tier non-league side Flixton FC by visiting and training at their Valley Ground. His appearance surprised supporters, forcing Flixton FC to release a statement explaining that Sancho "was not on trial with the club" or involved in transfer discussions.
"Over the past few days, we've seen a number of posts and comments circulating regarding Jadon Sancho's visit to Flixton FC," the club said. "To clarify, Jadon was not on trial with the club and was not involved in any transfer discussions. He simply used our facilities for a private training session to maintain his fitness while preparing for the next chapter of his career."
"We're proud that the quality of our pitch and facilities made Flixton a place where a player of his calibre felt comfortable training, and he is welcome to train at Flixton FC whenever he wishes," the club added.
