No contact from Man United over Jadon Sancho, says Dortmund CEO
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said the Bundesliga runners-up have had "no contact" with Manchester United over England winger Jadon Sancho.
According to media reports, United are at an "advanced stage" of talks to sign Sancho, who scored 20 goals and created the same number of assists in all competitions last season.
It was also reported that United are prepared to walk away from a deal for the 20-year-old, should Dortmund not lower their 120-million euro (S$194.7m) valuation for Sancho.
However, Dortmund have said they have yet to receive an offer for their talented forward who joined in 2017 from Manchester City's academy.
"So far, there has been no contact between Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United in terms of Sancho," Watzke told Munich-based newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
"Not even indirectly or through so-called middlemen.
"There has never been an offer for Jadon, but there is a certain sum from us as to what should at least be paid," Watzke added, referring to the 120m-euro price tag.
"I don't expect there to be any problems. Jadon has accepted the situation and is a pleasant, fair bloke."
Dortmund's director of sport Michael Zorc said he plans to have Sancho, who returned to training earlier this week, in the squad for the new German league season, which kicks off on Sept 18.
"I expect Jadon to go to training camp on Monday (at Bad Ragaz, Switzerland) and play with us for the coming season," added Zorc.
However, the transfer window in both Germany and England does not close until Oct 5, a date extended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dortmund need to handle Sancho carefully, as both former stars Ousmane Dembele and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang forced transfers to Barcelona in 2017 and Arsenal in 2018 respectively by effectively going on strike.
If both Dortmund and United cannot find common ground over Sancho, the Premier League club reportedly have a list of alternative targets - believed to include Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman - that they will pursue. - AFP
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