Jadon Sancho’s future at Westfalenstadion has been the subject of much speculation during the summer transfer window after Man United have identified the 20-year-old as their primary target.
Jadon Sancho’s form has dropped significantly
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said Jadon Sancho had lost focus amid ties with Manchester United, admitting that the winger was “already prepared for a change.” Sancho’s future at Westfalenstadion has been the subject of much speculation during the summer transfer window after Man United have identified the 20-year-old as their primary target. Negotiations continued for several months, but BVB ultimately stood firm on their €100 million valuations of the winger. The Red Devils declined to meet due to financial uncertainties caused by the coronavirus crisis. Since the end of the saga, Sancho’s form has dropped significantly, with England international scoring only five goals in 19 appearances for Dortmund in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign. Watzke thinks the talk of a potential move to Old Trafford has served as a distraction for a talismanic figure who has previously played without any pressure on his shoulders.
Watzke hopes the young striker will get back to his best
“Subconsciously, Jadon has probably already prepared a little for the changes,” the Dortmund chief told reporters. “I think he at least thought about it so much that he lost his lightness. I find him trying hard for a few weeks”. Watzke added about Sancho’s struggles this season: “The biggest difference is that he hasn’t thought about his next ball action before. Now he is thinking about it, and the tenth of a second that he misses is often the one in which the opponent is already on his feet. The more you try to be creative, the harder it gets”. Sancho bounced back, by scoring Dortmund’s 2-0 win at home against Wolfsburg over the weekend. And Watzke hopes an improved performance will serve as a springboard for the young striker to get back to his best.
“I think he needs two or three success stories in a row, and then things will get back to normal quickly,” he said. “He’s still one of the greatest talents”. Dortmund and Sancho will be back on track when they leave for RB Leipzig on January 9 with a slight margin for error as they chase the current Bundesliga leaders, Bayern Munich.