Borussia Dortmund vs PSG: analyzing Jadon Sancho's future

Jadon Sancho achieved an important milestone by scoring for Borussia Dortmund against RB Leipzig at the weekend.

It meant he overtook Tony Woodcock to become the most prolific English player in the Bundesliga.

Given that Harry Kane has already scored 35 league goals for Bayern Munich this season, Sancho's new record of 40 goals will not last long.

But the fact that he achieved that says a lot about his productivity level at Dortmund.

Sancho's three goals in 16 appearances in his second year on loan is better than his 12 goals in 82 appearances at Manchester United.

By common agreement, Sancho has yet to reach the level that prompted United to pay £73m for the 24-year-old in 2021 since his return to the club. But he's more than happy.

When Sancho returned to his club's training ground and said, “It feels like coming home,” he wasn't just saying it. The England international feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.

The England squad in the Champions League semi-finals will be keeping an eye on the battle between Kane and Jude Bellingham.

However, Sancho, who did not feature in United's disastrous season which ended in group stage exit at the hands of Bayern and FC Copenhagen, followed Steve McManaman at Real Madrid in 2002 and last played in the Champions League final. Realizes that he is about to become an English player. For overseas clubs.

Dortmund will host French champions Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the semi-final on Wednesday, aiming to reach the final for the first time since 2013.

Since returning to Germany, Sancho's interaction with the media has been severely restricted.

As he is still a United player, requests for interviews tend to be declined. Perhaps that's due to what led to his departure from United.

After the defeat to Arsenal in September, the winger hit back on social media after Erik ten Hag said Sancho had been left out of the match-day squad because of his performance in training.

He claimed he was made a “scapegoat” by his manager. “Don't believe everything you read,” he added. “I don't allow people to say things that are completely false.”

Tembabaa demanded an apology. His social media posts went down, but there was no apology.

Asked to reflect on Sancho's run to the Champions League semi-finals after eight wins over Atlético Madrid, Ten Hag said: “We know Jadon Sancho is a great footballer, but for us No surprise. It doesn't matter.”

However, the idea that this reflects poorly on Sancho's character does not stack up.

He is popular in the Dortmund dressing room. Away from the pitch, he is polite, friendly and generous with his time, as I happened to meet his family, whom I knew from his time at Dortmund, at a local hotel during the first game. It's obvious.

Sancho was happy to be reunited with his family. He remembered who they were and even remembered his son-in-law. He was only visiting Germany from his current base in Brazil.

The experience was authentic. The hug that accompanied the greeting was warm and heartfelt. Sancho gave the impression that he was in a comfortable environment. The perception that he is clumsy and stubborn does not correspond to reality.

After scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 win against Werder Bremen on 9 March, Sancho told the company media that he was aware that the demands on him were high. Ta.

“There's always going to be pressure,” he said. “I understand that the fans expect a lot from me because of my performance last time at BVB, with goals and assists every game. I expect a lot from myself.

“If I don't score or contribute, if they get mad at me, I don't blame them. That's what I expect of myself.

“I’m really grateful that they believe in me and give me the opportunity to show what I can do every week.”

Given that 20 weeks have passed between Sancho's 30-minute appearance for United against Nottingham Forest in August and his second Dortmund debut at Darmstadt on January 13, it's easy for Sancho to repeat his form. No wonder I found it difficult. Regular match-winning contributions from his first period with the club.

Dortmund manager Edin Terzic said before the defeat to Leipzig that Sancho had “not yet reached the peak of his performance”.

“But we know he could reach this maximum soon,” Terzic added. “He is an extraordinary talent and a lot of fun for us.”

Respected football writer Cedric Gebhard, who covers Dortmund for newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten, agrees that Sancho has not reached the level of his first term.

“He lacks the ease and confidence that he had in his first period at BVB,” Gebhard says. “He doesn't dribble much, he doesn't have enough pace and he loses the ball a lot.”

What will the future hold?

Most fans are happy to see Sancho back.

“Several players have come back over the years, but it usually doesn't work out,” said Nina Tillman of Dortmund's popular fan site Schwartzgelb.com.

“But we thought this was a good idea. We feel that Jadon is comfortable with us and will help the club.”

“It would be a shame if he couldn't get back to his old self. It would be great if he got a chance to shine here again.”

Whether that will happen is a matter of debate.

In a perfect world, Dortmund would keep the player. That's what club executives want. However, the deal that brought Sancho back made economic sense.

If he is to continue on loan next season or make a permanent transfer, major compromises will be required on all fronts. Dortmund cannot match the salary Sancho earns at United. But United, under intense pressure to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations, cannot simply part with an asset of that size.

It is clear that Sancho has no future at Old Trafford if Ten Hag remains manager. However, there is a chance he won't, opening the door for him to return to United even if he remains interested in playing elsewhere next season.

Meanwhile, Dortmund are heading into the Champions League semi-finals.

They may be outsiders, but Dortmund should not be taken lightly after coming through a group that included PSG, AC Milan and Newcastle, before eliminating Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Ironically, the club will have the prize money to spend on Sancho's return as they lift the trophy they won in 1997 with a team that included former Scotland midfielder Paul Lambert.

It's a fascinating subplot in a strange story.

When Sancho left Dortmund, winning the Champions League was one of his goals. Little did he know that his first decent shot at this award would be back where his senior professional career began.