KEY POINTS

  • Borussia Dortmund will not settle for anything less than its original asking fee for Jadon Sancho
  • Manchester United, which offered less than half of Dortmund's asking price, may have to pass up Sancho for now
  • Sancho is more likely to play one more season before leaving Borussia Dortmund

The chances of seeing Jadon Sancho head to Old Trafford are looking bleaker by the day, with Borussia Dortmund standing firm on its asking price. Making matters worse for Manchester United are the repercussions of other commitments, particularly from its backers like Adidas.

According to The Times, Dortmund is sticking to its condition of releasing Sancho only if its $141 million fee is met. The Red Devils could have made up for the potential lack in cash with add-ons. However, it appears the German side is not interested in such a scenario and prefers a bid above their asking price.

For United, the matter of raising cash to get the 20-year-old to Old Trafford may even get more complicated. Should the Red Devils fail to make it to the Champions League, they are liable to pay penalties to shirt supplier Adidas. This was part of their 10-year deal and could mean losing as much as $28 million. This results in projected losses of about $125 million in income from the competition.

The Red Devils do have an option, and this is to reach the elite competition via the Europa League. The problem here is that this happens in August, just six weeks before the transfer window closes on Oct. 5.

As mentioned in a previous report, Manchester United set a ceiling price for Sancho. This was pegged at $61 million, less than half of what Dortmund is asking. With the German club not budging, the chances of seeing Sancho move to Old Trafford is not looking that good.

If United is unable to pull anything, other clubs could enter the picture. Assuming they have the finances to spare, Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid or Barcelona could be the English winger's next stop.

With the financial situation taking its toll on football clubs, there is a chance that Sancho may stay on at Signal Iduna Park for at least another year. Sancho is under contract until 2022 and earns roughly $238,000 a week.

"Jadon has a valid contract with us and we would be very happy if he is still with us next season," sporting director Michael Zorc earlier told German publication Waz. "To think about anything else at all, the timing would have to be right, and secondly, our price expectations would have to be met 100%."

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