England International Jadon Sancho is the latest fledgling football morsel set to garner widespread interest in the next transfer window according to reports that are emerging from Dortmund, which suggests the 19-year old is keen to move on from his current digs at Signal Iduna Park. And by all accounts, he's already catching the eye of several European giants ahead of the much-anticipated catwalk of football's promising glitterati-in-the-making.
Those clubs that are potentially going to jostle for Jadon Sancho's favour are the who's who of European top-flight league football and include PSG, Real Madrid along with English Premier League stalwarts such as Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United, amongst several others. All very desirable destinations featuring some of the most renowned luscious lawns to grace the sport that unites the world over.
The English winger signed with Borussia Dortmund in 2017, and in his second year with the Bundesliga club, he burst onto the scene as a first-time regular, winning player of the month in October. He finished the campaign with 12 goals and 14 assists, establishing himself as one of the game's hottest young talents to spot.
Indeed, Sancho has fast-tracked his career by taking the plunge and signing with Borussia Dortmund. It's earned him a nod from England manager Gareth Southgate and raised his stock value in the market. He's purportedly now valued around a staggering £100 million.
During last summer's transfer window, Dortmund rebuffed any suitors that came calling for Sancho's card, who was also understood to be keen to stay put.
Events over the course of the current campaign with Borussia Dortmund however – a campaign that hasn't gone to plan for the youngster -- appear to have prompted this sudden change of heart and a desire to relocate by season end.
To begin with Borussia Dortmund, who finished runner-up to Bayern Munich last term in Bundesliga, are down to sixth-place in the table behind a 5-4-2 mark following 11 matches. They've collected 19 out of a potential 33 points and are sat six points adrift of current leaders Borussia M'gladbach.
Six points isn't an insurmountable gap for a club of Borussia Dortmund's ilk given the season is fresh and there's still a lot of football to be played on the domestic front.
As such, the Black and Yellows remain amongst the top favourites to clinch the Bundesliga title according to online sports betting sites. Priced at around +600 in outrights, Borussia Dortmund are the second favourites overall after Germany's perennial standard Bayern Munich, who lead the charge as the runaway favourites at -350
However, Sancho's dissatisfaction with Borussia runs deeper than just the current field of play in Germany's prestigious football league. Confidence sapping public criticism and being held back in matches with limited playing time amidst provocative claims that he wasn't up to par coming from both sporting director Michael Zorc and manager Lucien Favre appear to be at the heart of his desire for change.
These developments speak to a rift between player and club that appears to be insurmountable. Case-and-point, last week's Der Klassiker was just the latest example of the youngster's recent spate of frustrations and marked one of the toughest days of his untried career. Just 36 minutes into the pivotal tilt with Bayern Munich – the biggest match in Bundesliga, mind you – the winger was inexplicably substituted out.
Initially, it was thought that injury was the motivation behind the sudden early substitution. After the match though, which incidentally Dortmund lost 4-0, manager Favre put paid on those notions. Explaining his decision away as a pragmatic one, based on poor performance by Sancho that wasn't to his liking.
Last month, Sancho met with a hefty £86, 000 fine for arriving late to camp from international duty. Ever since the youngster failed to adhere to the agreed-upon terms of his release from Dortmund to participate in England's European campaign, it seems he's being punished like a naughty schoolboy in need of a comeuppance. A bit of a surly tit for tat, perhaps.
Is such is the state of affairs, a move for Sancho may be just what the doctor ordered. Where he goes though is anybody's guess but it's sure to be to one of the biggest clubs in Europe or Premier League. Indeed, English clubs eager to lure Sancho back to home soil include Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea – the former of which has made no secret about their interest in the youngster. Real Madrid, however, may have reignited their interest in the youngster after missing out three years ago. Reports suggest they're in the midst of working out an offer, which would put the proverbial spanner in the works.
