Jadon Sancho has been told that he should consider moving back to Borussia Dortmund this summer, with Manchester United career not yet hitting the heights expected.
Sancho joined United in the summer of 2021, with the winger arriving following four impressive seasons with Borussia Dortmund. In four seasons, he scored 50 goals for the German club, winning the DFB Pokal in 2021 and twice being named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season.
In 2021, he joined United on a five-year-deal for £72.9m, with his first season yielding just three goals and three assists. In the midpoint of his second season Erik ten Hag then opted to remove him from the main group, instead giving him a tailored programme with specialist coaches
Ultimately, his second campaign did represent a slight improvement, with six goals and three assists in 21 Premier League starts, albeit a long way off the 17 goals and 16 assists he recorded in 2019/20 for Dortmund.
This has led to talkSPORT pundit and former Scotland striker Ally McCoist to suggest that a move back to Dortmund, with the pundit and commentator expressing his sympathies for the 23-year-old on Wednesday morning's Breakfast show with Laura Woods.
He said: "I just feel for the lad, you know, because it's a move that hasn't really worked out has it? I don't think anybody can doubt there's a real talent there."
McCoist added: "You go back to that period last season where he was having problems where Ten Hag sent him away to somewhere in Holland. to try and get himself squared up.
"I just feel from the the move clearly hasn't worked out. And why not? Why not go back to where he was [Dortmund]? You know, he was he was loved and he was playing well, without doubt the best football of his career."
Dortmund will have some capacity for spending this summer, with the sale of Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid bringing them £108 million. This could lead to a a transfer being a realistic possibility, although there has been no concrete reports of Dortmund's interest in bringing Sancho back to the club.
Reports suggest that a meeting took place following the end of the season between Sancho and Erik ten Hag, with discussions relating to his future at the club amid an unsettled campaign.
Following the World Cup, for which he was not selected, Sancho was sent to Holland for an individual training routine, with his manager revealing his views on the nature of the England winger's problems while he was away.
"In this moment he is not fit enough," Ten Hag said back in January. "It's physical, but physical is also the connection with mental. But I think he is now making good progress on the physical part and that will help him. I hope he can return quickly but I can't say a duration of how long it will be."
Man United return for pre season later this month, with reports linking Neymar to the club, with a new striker also thought to be a priority to potentially challenge Sancho's attacking role in the team even further.
