Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has confirmed that talks are ongoing with Manchester United over the possible loan return of Jadon Sancho.
The Bundesliga giants gave the winger a platform to showcase his talent following his departure from Manchester City in 2017, and he became one of Europe's most sought-after players while donning the yellow jersey.
Sancho had a direct hand in 114 goals in 137 games for Borussia Dortmund - scoring 50 of his own and providing 64 assists - and the German club made a healthy profit by selling him to Manchester United for £73m in 2021.
However, the 23-year-old failed to replicate his scintillating Bundesliga form in the Premier League and has been out of the first-team picture since September owing to a breakdown in his relationship with Erik ten Hag.
Both Man United and Sancho are now desperate to end the winger's time at Old Trafford, and despite previous suggestions that Juventus were leading the race, Dortmund are now in pole position to prise him away from the Theatre of Dreams.
The two clubs are yet to reach a full agreement, but Watzke - who will step down from his role in 2025 - has revealed that negotiations are ongoing over a temporary reunion.
"We are in negotiations to sign Jadon Sancho, for sure. We want to sign him on loan. That's no secret. But we are not yet ready to announce a done deal," Fabrizio Romano quotes Watzke as saying.
Both Sancho and Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic are determined to push a transfer through in the coming days, and it was reported last week that a broad agreement was in place to send the Englishman back to the Signal Iduna Park.
The Red Devils and BVB are also said to have shaken hands on a salary structure, but there are still a few contractual issues to iron out before Sancho can complete his anticipated return to Dortmund.
Prior to his exile from the first team, Sancho managed just 12 goals and six assists in 82 games for Ten Hag's side in all competitions and came off the bench in each of Man United's first three Premier League games of the 2023-24 campaign.
However, Ten Hag omitted Sancho from his matchday squad for their 3-1 loss to Arsenal in early September, claiming that the decision was a tactical one due to poor displays from the attacker in training.
Sancho refuted the Dutchman's version of events with an astonishing social media post, claiming that he had been made a "scapegoat" at Old Trafford, and little has been heard of the 23-year-old since.
Ten Hag would have supposedly been willing to re-integrate Sancho into the first team had he apologised relatively quickly, but it is now thought that too much time has passed for burned bridges to be rebuilt.
Sancho is still under contract at Man United until 2026 with the option of a further 12 months, and his future beyond the end of the 2023-24 season remains clouded in uncertainty.
The England international could become the second Red Devils player to head to the Bundesliga this month, as Eintracht Frankfurt have signed Donny van de Beek on loan for the rest of the season. body check tags ::
