This is chess, not checkers!
Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc has dropped a Jadon Sancho contract bombshell in a press briefing during their pre-season preparations.
Zorc fronted a press conference on Monday afternoon, announcing that Jadon Sancho was very much in the club’s plans for next season, and that he will not join Manchester United this summer. Zorc said:
“We plan with Jadon Sancho. He will play with us next season. I think that answers all the questions.”
This comes after weeks of reports of Sancho being on the verge of a move to Manchester United. Dortmund had set a deadline for United to front up the asking price by August 10.
No deal was concluded before then, Sancho joined the squad on their training camp in Austria, where this press conference was held.
Whether that is the end of the matter or not remains to be seen. We know how these sagas go. One day he’s staying for the long term, the next he’s on a flight to Manchester. We will have to wait and see whether United can front up enough cash to persuade the German outfit to part with their star forward.
Zorc then dropped another bombshell. Amid reports of Dortmund offering Sancho a new contract this summer to fend off interest from United, he announced that the player’s salary was increased last summer.
“Last summer we adjusted Jadon’s salary to match the development of his performances,” said Zorc.
“So in context, we had already extended his contract until 2023 back then.”
"Last summer we adjusted Jadon's salary to match the development of his performances. So in context, we had already extended his contract until 2023 back then." pic.twitter.com/m2emQ4pedg
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) August 10, 2020
It was assumed that Sancho’s current contract would run until 2022, but with the news of an extra year remaining on his current deal with the Bundesliga club, Dortmund are in a stronger negotiating position than previously thought.
United are very much interested in the England international, but it has been reported that Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman is next in line if Dortmund do indeed hold firm.
