JADON SANCHO has been rewriting history in German football.
And the Borussia Dortmund winger will be looking to kick off another spellbinding chapter this weekend as the enforced two-month break for coronavirus ends.
Jadon Sancho is a long-term Manchester United targetCredit: Getty Images – Getty
England international Sancho, 20, will feature in the home Bundesliga clash against neighbours Schalke, a colossal match which is considered as Germany’s biggest derby.
But, as one of the world’s most in-demand players, the big question over the summer will be whether Sancho continues to wear a yellow jersey.
Manchester United have been long-time favourites to land him but, as SunSport revealed in March, the financial fall-out from Covid-19 could mean he remains in Germany for another year.
And that could force Dortmund to give him a longer contract because in 2021 he would have just 12 more months on his deal, wiping millions off his value.
Given the pandemic, it seems extremely unlikely any club — including United — would be willing to pay near the £120million he was expected to fetch at the end of this campaign.
As a result, Dortmund could give Sancho that new deal this summer and sit on their asset for one more season before football’s financial situation becomes clearer.
Club legend Paul Lambert believes Sancho should think twice before leaving for United or any other club.
Former midfielder Lambert won the Champions League with Dortmund in 1997 when they beat Juventus 3-1 and the Scotsman marked Zinedine Zidane out of the game.
The Ipswich manager, who now plays for Dortmund’s Legends team and watches all of their games on TV, said: “Sancho is already at one of the biggest clubs in the world, which gets over 80,000 for every league game.
Sancho is third top scorer in Germany this season
“So, potentially, the lad has a big decision to make. Dortmund is a special club and you only realise it once you leave.
“United are one of the biggest clubs in the world but is the atmosphere at Old Trafford as good as the Westfalenstadion? The answer is no.
“He will have to ask himself will he fit in with the right players if he leaves. Will he keep making progress? Dortmund will be in the Champions League but we are not yet sure about United and whether they will be.
“If he comes home, it should be for football or family reasons, not money.”
Sancho has scored 14 goals in the league this season, with only Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski (25) and RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner (21) netting more.
The England star is second in the assists table with 15, one behind Bayern’s Thomas Muller. Last season, apart from scoring 12 goals, Sancho topped the assists chart in Germany with 14.
Since records began in 1992-93, only one other Dortmund player has notched up more assists in a season, Henrikh Mkhitaryan with 20 in 2015-16.
In December, Sancho became the youngest player in the history of the Bundesliga to score 22 goals, surpassing the record of former Stuttgart and Borussia Monchengladbach striker Horst Koppels. It was a record which had stood since 1968.
BRATWURST TO BRITWURST: THE BUNDESLIGA BRITS
JADON SANCHO (Borussia Dortmund, age 20)
England international winger, heavily in demand after 14 goals and 15 assists in the Bundesliga this season.
JONJOE KENNY (Schalke, age 23)
Right-back on loan from Everton, won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month award in August. Schalke want him to extend his stay.
RABBI MATONDO (Schalke, age 19)
Like Sancho, signed from Manchester City. The £11million Wales forward is finding his feet but has made 12 appearances so far, scoring one goal.
ETHAN AMPADU (RB Leipzig, age 19)
Frustrating season for the on-loan Chelsea defender. Leipzig have been so good at the back, he’s made more starts for Wales (4) than his club (2).
REECE OXFORD (Augsburg, age 21)
Former West Ham whizkid signed a four-year deal after a successful loan but has made just eight outings and was linked with a move in January.
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (RB Leipzig, age 22)
Turned an impressive loan into a permanent deal from Everton last summer but, like Ampadu, has had to settle for a substitute’s role.
ANTONY EVANS (Paderborn, age 21)
Winger was Everton’s U-23 captain and spent time at Blackpool and Morecambe. Quit Goodison for struggling Paderborn in January but is yet to play.
KEANAN BENNETTS (Monchengladbach, age 21)
Winger has a German mother and left Spurs to join Monchengladbach. Has impressed for their U-23s but not played for the senior team.
And in February, against Union Berlin, he became the first player in the German top flight to score 25 goals for a club before his 20th birthday.
The clash with Schalke will be former Manchester City kid Sancho’s first since waving goodbye to his teens.
Lambert, 50, said: “It is a big thing going to a country when you cannot speak the language. You have to master German, out of respect to your team-mates.
“Sancho has done well. He is so direct in one versus ones. He has good speed but he is a clever footballer.
“Every time Dortmund score, you know that either Sancho has got the goal or had an assist.”
Sancho’s spell this season has not been without its problems. He was fined for poor time-keeping and was substituted 36 minutes into the 4-0 thrashing by Bayern Munich last November, with boss Lucien Favre blasting him as “not good enough”.
During the winter break, Sancho was carpeted by club bosses for posting a video of himself eating a £200 ‘gold’ steak on board a private jet flying out to Dubai.
Lambert added: “I know the German culture and I don’t think they would take too kindly to turning up late for training. They would look to bring someone down a peg or two.
“He is at a club when you cannot get away with that stuff. But he has a decent dressing room in terms of the characters — and players like Reus and Gotze will be a good influence.
“He will only get even better. He could be a big player for England for many years.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
