20 May 2026 09:01 BST |
4 min read
Jadon Sancho’s hopes of a reunion with Dortmund could be left in tatters, with the German side set to turn to an Arsenal star over the unwanted Manchester United winger.
Sancho has been on loan at Aston Villa this season but the 26-year-old is facing an uncertain future as his contract with United comes to an end, leaving him as a free agent going into the summer.
Multiple teams are believed to be exploring a deal for Sancho but Dortmund were frontrunners to sign their former star after admitting their interest in bringing him back for a third stint as a replacement for the outgoing Julian Brandt.
However, a report from Sky Sport Germany claims that Sancho’s move is ‘on hold’, with the trail having ‘cooled somewhat’, although there is a chance that it could be revived later in the summer.
Instead of a winger in Sancho’s profile, Dortmund are said to want a number ten who can drift wide, with Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri among the candidates, having been a target for the Bundesliga giants last year.
Nwaneri faces an uncertain future with Arsenal and Dortmund will ‘make another attempt’ over a move, although a deal is said to be ‘unlikely’ due to the ‘high transfer fee’ and ‘difficulty’ of negotiating a loan.
Nwaneri and Sancho facing difficult summer after underwhelming loan stints
Nwaneri has been on loan at Marseille since January but the 19-year-old has made just three starts in that time, with manager Habib Beye insisting the youngster has not shown enough to warrant more minutes.
Having also been on the fringes of Mikel Arteta’s side prior to joining Marseille, Arsenal are open to Nwaneri’s departure knowing that any money generated from his sale would count as pure profit on their books due to his status as an academy player.
Sancho, meanwhile, has failed to convince Premier League teams of his credentials after making just eight starts for Villa this season, prompting United to opt against taking up the one-year option to extend his contract.
While there will be teams such as Dortmund who will consider the low-risk nature of a move, it appears a foregone conclusion that Sancho will have to rebuild his career outside of England after a disastrous five years since his €85 million move to Old Trafford in 2021.
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