Man Utd transfer news: Dortmund may have found a Sancho replacement

Stefan Bienkowski

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Borussia Dortmund could be on the hunt for a replacement to Manchester United target Jadon Sancho, as the Bundesliga side reportedly track the availability of Monaco forward Sofiane Diop. 

The 20-year-old talent has been in exceptional form for Monaco this season, having scored five goals from either wing in 21 Ligue 1 Appearances. 

According to Sky Germany, Dortmund have been monitoring the young player for a while now and have him at the top of their shortlist if they intend to sell Sancho at the end of the season. 

Having joined Monaco from Rennes for free in 2018, Diop still has a contract with the club that runs until 2023. 

That would mean that Dortmund would have to likely pay full price for the player in the summer, if they were interested in buying him. 

This may be of interest to Man Utd fans, since reports of Dortmund shopping for new wingers ahead of next season would suggest they expect to move Sancho on in the summer. 

The England international was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford last year but the transfer never materialised after the Premier League giants were unable to match Dortmund’s price demands or do so before the deadline imposed by the German club. 

However, following a full season without fans in stadiums, it now seems likely that Dortmund would be willing to negotiate over a more realistic price for Sancho and could allow him to leave in six months time. 

While referencing the lost revenue from no longer having 80,000 spectators at every home game, Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke recently told Kicker: “The efforts to get closer to the even larger clubs economically are now a thing of the past.”

And on the topic of lost income from failing to reach the premier European competition, Watzke was quick to point out that it wouldn’t jeopardize the club’s existence “but it forces you to take a step back, maybe two.

“Because when the income from the Champions League is no longer there, you can no longer afford a squad of the size and quality we have. Then you have to use the red pencil.“