July 23, (THEWILL) – In a move that was more of a formality, Manchester United officially announced the signing of Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.
The Englishman, who joined Borussia Dortmund as a 17-year-old from city rivals Manchester City, scored 50 goals and provided 64 assists over the course of his spell in the Bundesliga.
Sancho returns to the Premier League as a 21-year-old after missing out on a move to Old Trafford last year because United failed to meet Dortmund’s asking price of more than £100 million. It took a deal worth around £73 million to release him from Dortmund’s grasp.
On Friday, United’s official Twitter account posted a video announcing his arrival, with Sancho saying: “This is where I belong.”
Sancho was excited with his move even as he did not forget where he was coming from when he said: “I’ll always be grateful to Dortmund for giving me the opportunity to play first team football, although I always knew that I would return to England one day.
“The chance to join Manchester United is a dream come true and I just cannot wait to perform in the Premier League. This is a young and exciting squad and I know, together, we can develop into something special to bring the success that the fans deserve. I am looking forward to working with the Manager and his coaching team to further develop my game.”
In the same vein, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Man U manager, who was determined on his bid to bring the Englishman to Old Trafford, said: “Jadon epitomises the type of player I want to bring to the club, he is a forward player in the best traditions of Manchester United.
“He will form an integral part of my squad for years to come and we look forward to seeing him blossom. His goals and assists records speak for themselves and he will also bring tremendous pace, flair and creativity to the team.
“Old Trafford will give him the platform he needs to release his untapped talent and perform at the highest level. For a player of his age, Jadon has already achieved a great deal and showed the courage to go and prove himself abroad. We all look forward to welcoming Jadon to the squad as we prepare for the new campaign.”
Although a shirt number is yet to be assigned to Sancho, his contract will keep him at United until 2026, with the option of a further year.
It is a bit of good news for the Old Trafford side after reports circulating in the English media claim that 28-year-old French international midfielder Paul Pogba has rejected an offer of a £350,000-a-week new contract that would be worth £50 million, implying that he may be on his way out of United.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
