Jadon Sancho transfer: Dortmund's stance on Man United target and plans

Manchester United face a fight to land England winger Jadon Sancho this summer.

The Borussia Dortmund starlet, 20, has half a dozen elite European clubs desperate to tie him down.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have improved over the second half of the Premier League season and the club's British core have played key roles.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford have all impressed and Solskjaer hopes Sancho will join them at Old Trafford next season.

Sancho is enjoying a breathtaking season with Dortmund, boasting 35 goal contributions in as many appearances, and United's task to lure him back to Manchester isn't an easy one.

Who's interested?

Along with United, main interest appears to be coming from Premier League rivals Chelsea. Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in Sancho but Jurgen Klopp has the unbreakable forward line of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane at his disposal.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and big spending Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with Sancho.

How much will he cost?

United are probably going to need to break their record transfer to land Sancho.

Ed Woodward sanctioned a deal worth £89million to bring Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford in the summer of 2016 as Jose Mourinho's marquee signing.

Dortmund are intent on landing a fee in the region of £95million for Sancho, who they paid Manchester City just £8million for three years ago.

Rashford wants Sancho at United

Rashford hopes to soon call England colleague Sancho a club team-mate too. During a lengthy Q&A session with supporters on Instagram, Rashford outlined what makes Sancho so special.

"It would be good [if Sancho joined United]," Rashford said. "Sancho is a great player. He's like the new generation player.

"It's definitely exciting to watch the player he's becoming — hopefully we can all play together. That would be good.

"He plays off the cuff. He's imaginative. I think in this generation, they're the things you need to be world class."

Xavi plans to scupper deal

Barcelona could be managed by legendary midfielder Xavi next season and he would demand the Catalan club make signing Sancho a priority.

"Barcelona have good players through the middle but they lack wingers like the ones Bayern have,” he said. “They don't need a lot of new players: Jadon Sancho, Serge Gnabry."

But Xavi isn't the only club legend doing his bit to convince Sancho of his former employer's credentials.

United great Rio Ferdinand has explained why he thinks Old Trafford is the perfect home for European football's hottest prospect.

"I want Jadon to go to a team where he will play, improve and get trophies. He's been linked with United, Chelsea, PSG but I think United is the place for him to go because I'm biased.

"Rashford, Martial, [Harry] Kane, Sancho, that would intimate a lot of centre-halves before a whistle is blown. Definitely."

Ferdinand even believes Sancho is worthy of United's iconic number seven shirt - previously worn by idols Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“If he wears the seven (shirt) he has to be there for the next ten years. That's what that shirt deserves and demands.

"He's flying and one of the best young kids in the world at the moment. He's a player with huge potential and will go for over £100m.

"You are buying someone for 10 years at your club, it's massive money but I'd take him and risk it.

"You say to him, 'You're going to be the player we build a team around and the person who can get us trophies.' He's got the x-factor, skills, beats and excites people.

"If you go to Real, Barca, United, those stadiums want to be excited and get them off their seat. Sancho is that guy.

"He has all the potential to be an absolute humongous superstar. He brings the playground to the stadium."

And, unsurprisingly, John Terry - now assistant coach at Aston Villa - is doing his bit for Chelsea.

“I think Sancho is one of the best young players in the world at the moment, so he'd be a great addition to the Chelsea squad,” he said.

Dortmund's stance

Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc has offered the occasional update throughout the saga.

His latest comments, in February, suggested nothing concrete is currently on the table for Sancho.

“The fact is no other club has contacted us so far about Jadon,” Zorc told German newspaper Bild. “[I can't] reliably answer today [if Sancho will stay at Dortmund beyond the summer].

“What I can say for sure is that he feels very comfortable with us. Otherwise he could not produce such performances week after week.

“He is a phenomenon and is now producing top performances. And he rarely takes a break on the pitch, helping the team with their defensive work.

“He is hard-working and gets the greatest of respect from me.”