Dortmund, Sancho find themselves in a quandary
Ahead of the UEFA Champions League last-16 encounter against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund and Jadon Sancho find themselves in a quandary.
Jadon Sancho (L) of Dortmund vies with Jamilu Collins of Paderborn during a German Cup third round football match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Paderborn 07 in Dortmund, Germany, Feb. 2, 2021. (Photo by Joachim Bywaletz/Pool/Handout via Xinhua)
While the Dortmund squad is facing renewal, to survive in the Champions League has become a must for the team.
Additional financial means seem inevitable in order to start a team relaunch, along with the club's plans to keep the English forward for at least one more season.
After his return to Dortmund following unhappy times over two years at Manchester United, the 23-year-old has turned into one of the most pressing issues regarding the future.
As Sancho is loaned to BVB until the end of the 2023-24 season, the club's sporting director Sebastian Kehl is busy setting up a new deal with the Premier League side.
While reports speak of United intending to sell the winger for 40 to 60 million euros, BVB is considering extending the loan deal for one more year. As Dortmund winger Donyell Malen is said to have triggered United's interest, a swap deal seems an option.
Sancho must deal with the burden of not having played for months in the United shirt to fight his way back to happiness in Germany.
Despite having scored his first goal since his return last weekend in the Bundesliga, the forward said that "as you see, I am not yet entirely happy."
Meeting fans' expectations "might take some time as last time I always scored a goal or delivered an assist in every game," he added.
Dortmund coach Edin Terzic is talking about visible progress when it comes to Sancho's performance but is demanding patience.
"He is a game changer, firing off his shots before anyone expects it," the 41-year-old said.
Sancho has renewed his wish to stay. "It's like coming home," he stated after his return in the recent winter transfer period. While Dortmund is trying to keep him, rumors speak of the interest of leading European sides such as Juventus and Barcelona.
For the moment, Sancho seems determined to make fans and the club happy by delivering additional goals.
"In front of our home crowd, we enjoy an advantage against PSV," he stated.
Both the Englishman and Dortmund seem aware that advancing to the last eight has become a vital factor when it comes to a common future.