Jadon Sancho has endured a torrid term with Manchester United since his arrival in 2021, but his nightmarish era at Old Trafford could draw to a close this summer

Borussia Dortmund are keen on signing Manchester United flop Jadon Sancho for a third time, club chief Lars Ricken has confirmed. The English winger, who cost £73m when he joined in 2021, has endured a torrid spell at Old Trafford.

He has managed just 12 goals in 83 appearances for United and has spent the last two-and-a-half seasons away on loan. Sancho spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign at Dortmund, before moving to Chelsea last season.

Chelsea had been obligated to make that deal permanent but paid a penalty fee to withdraw from that agreement. Sancho has since been at Aston Villa but has found the net just once during his time in the Midlands.

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With his contract set to expire this summer, and United opting against activating an option to extend it by a further season, he looks all but set to depart the club. Dortmund managing director Ricken has now revealed that Sancho is among several potential targets for the German outfit.

Speaking to Sport Bild, he said: “We are currently looking at a lot of players and analysing them. We check whether they can make us better.

“We are doing the same with Jadon. Of course, we are looking for an offensive player who brings quality, can help us immediately, and doesn’t require an unrealistic transfer fee.

“In defence, Niklas Süle is leaving us, and Emre Can will be out for a while. So we are thinking about that area as well.”

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Sancho has endured a difficult campaign with Villa, having made just 17 starts across all competitions. His sole goal came in a 1-0 away victory against Fenerbahce in the Europa League.

However, speaking earlier this year, manager Unai Emery appeared to indicate he would be receptive to making the move permanent. He said: “Not yet, but he is a fantastic player.

“Hopefully he can help us by increasing his qualities in our structure like he is doing. He will need another contract, and maybe it could be here.

“If he plays his best football, we will want him. But also other teams could be involved in the interest for him.”

Reflecting on Sancho’s performances for Villa, Emery added: “The first part of the season was not enough. He was working and trying, but not achieving the performance we needed.

“Now he is getting better. He is getting the challenge for him and us.”

Manchester City suffered a 3-0 Champions League last 16 first leg defeat to Real Madrid, which means the club will have quite the obstacle to overcome in next week’s reverse at the Etihad Stadium

Victor Font believes that Barcelona have first dibs on “dream” target Erling Haaland, should Manchester City let their talisman leave the Etihad Stadium any time soon. The presidential candidate for the La Liga giants claims that Barca will have “priority” should Haaland also look to secure a move away from the Sky Blues.

The 53-year-old said: “Haaland is one of the best strikers in the world. We are convinced we will have priority to sign him if he wishes to take on a new challenge.”

He continued: “I am convinced these long contracts are not possible to be fulfilled. This is where we must be attentive to the situation of a player who loves Spain, who made statements about how amazed he was about Camp Nou when he came here.

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“Madrid has also wanted it, so making a movement that protects us and gives us this option, I am convinced that it can happen.”

It comes despite Haaland recently agreeing fresh terms with City which should keep him in Greater Manchester until at least 2034, as well as an understanding that there has been no contact between his camp and the Catalan titans.

The 25-year-old has been a revelation for the Sky Blues since joining from Borussia Dortmund in a £51million move in 2022, racking up 153 goals and 28 assists across all competitions from 186 appearances to date.

The Norwegian has also found the back of the net 22 times in the Premier League this season alone, and has been a key part of Pep Guardiola’s efforts to derail Arsenal from the top of the table as the race for the title heats up once more.

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Just seven points split a first-place Gunners and a second-place City, as the Sky Blues hold a game in hand over their Premier League rivals as well as an all-important six-point clash with Mikel Arteta’s side on home soil come April.

And with Arsenal only having eight games remaining to City’s nine, Arteta’s side will have to be perfect from now until may should they hope to claim their first league title in more than two decades.

It comes as City suffered a blow in their hopes of securing European silverware on Wednesday evening when they suffered a 3-0 loss at the hands of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

Guardiola’s XI failed to respond to Federico Valverde’s first-half hat-trick on the night, as they head to the reverse clash at the Etihad Stadium come Tuesday, March 17 with a hefty deficit to turn around.

However, City will first turn their attention back to the Premier League as they travel to the London Stadium to take on a resurgent West Ham United come Saturday, March 14.

The Hammers have struggled for form this season, sitting 18th in the league standings and caught up in a relegation battle alongside Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United. Unbeaten in four of their last five in the league, however, Guardiola will not see the East London outfit as easy pickings.

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Manchester United and Manchester City have had some iconic battles in the transfer window

With Manchester United narrowing the gap on Manchester City in recent months, United may once more be able to compete with their local rivals for elite talent.

More than a decade of underachievement and multiple seasons without Champions League football has somewhat restricted United’s options in the transfer market in recent years.

This has only enabled ‘noisy neighbours’ City to establish themselves as the more appealing Manchester destination for rising stars, as they maintained their dominance over English football. However, considering United’s stature and with the resolution of City’s 115 alleged charges still pending, the momentum may now be shifting, particularly given Michael Carrick’s remarkable start as interim manager.

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Both clubs are expected to compete for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson at the end of this season. The 23-year-old, valued at around £75million, wishes to have his future resolved before the World Cup kicks off this summer, aware that Forest face potential relegation and that a number of elite clubs are pursuing his services.

United securing Champions League qualification would significantly improve their prospects of signing the England star, although Anderson is yet to decide which club he prefers. The Manchester Evening News now takes a look at the players City and United have competed to sign in recent years and who has come out on top in each instance.

Alexis Sanchez (2018)

Both City and United were keen to sign a frustrated Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in January 2018. Pep Guardiola sought to recruit the former Barcelona winger but City later said they were unable to match the financial terms presented by their local rivals, ultimately withdrawing from the pursuit.

Sanchez moved to United in a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan head in the opposite direction. Yet the Chilean’s spell at Old Trafford proved largely unsuccessful, managing just five goals in 45 outings before departing for Inter Milan.

Fred (2018)

In the summer of 2018, Brazilian midfielder Fred turned down City and sealed a £47m switch from Shakhtar Donetsk to United. He later disclosed that the opportunity to work under Jose Mourinho proved decisive, having received a personal phone call from the iconic Portuguese boss which persuaded him to pledge his future to the club.

Harry Maguire (2019)

In another setback for City, who had secured back-to-back league titles by the summer of 2019, United pipped them to the signing of Harry Maguire. The Leicester City centre-back’s £80m transfer was and remains the world record fee paid for a defender.

Guardiola admitted City could not splurge such a sum on Maguire, saying: “He’s an excellent, top-class player. We were interested but could not afford it.”

Maguire has endured a difficult seven years at United, having had his performances regularly scrutinised and been stripped of the captaincy. Yet, the Englishman has proven more valuable in recent seasons, despite £80m still being considered a poor use of resources.

Cristiano Ronaldo (2021)

United once again got one over their rivals on transfer deadline day of the 2021 summer window. Reports had indicated Cristiano Ronaldo was close to a switch from Juventus to the Etihad Stadium before executing a dramatic U-turn to rejoin his beloved United after the club submitted an offer.

Ronaldo claimed he followed his heart, with reports saying Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand directly phoned him to persuade him to join United. However, it emerged that City’s interest was only mild, with some reports claiming Guardiola was not interested in the ageing star after Ronaldo was offered to the club by his agent.

Despite a strong first season, the Portuguese legend’s second spell in Manchester ended acrimoniously following a breakdown in relations with Erik ten Hag and club chiefs, suggesting City dodged a bullet.

Jack Grealish (2021)

United were also interested in buying Jack Grealish in 2021 before ultimately signing Jadon Sancho. Grealish was among the Premier League’s most sought-after players at that point and attracted significant attention from several English clubs.

Following a drawn-out transfer saga, City eventually signed the Aston Villa captain that summer for a then-British record fee of £100m. United’s own signings disappointed that season, while Grealish found it difficult to adjust to Guardiola’s requirements in his debut campaign.

He did contribute to City winning an elusive Champions League trophy and the Treble, however, but is currently on loan at Everton.

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Manchester United announced during January that Casemiro would leave this summer when his contract expires, but the player has yet to agree a free transfer away

Casemiro wants to leave Manchester United for another top European club this summer rather than moving to Saudi Arabia or the United States.

United announced during January that the midfielder will leave when his contract expires on 30 June. Casemiro’s deal includes an option to extend by an additional year, but the club have decided not to re-sign him for a fifth season.

With less than six months remaining on his current contract, the Brazil international can sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside of England. Any deal has yet to become public, but Casemiro is said to be keen on staying in Europe.

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The Sun claims sources close to the player have indicated Italy is a potential destination. They highlight his former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric’s signing for AC Milan last summer as an example.

Casemiro is six-and-a-half years younger than the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner, who turned 40 in September. He has also spent the last 13 years of his career in Europe since leaving Sao Paulo in January 2013, initially on loan, for Madrid.

Talk of a move to Italy follows the former United centre-forward Dion Dublin’s plea for Casemiro to stay. He told OLBG United should spend some of their transfer budget on giving him a new deal.

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“[Casemiro’s] been sort of 75% and he’s had his dips where people said, ‘oh, his legs are gone, oh, his legs are gone, he can’t run around anymore, he can’t do this, he can’t do that. To be honest with you, I retired at 39; my legs went about 33.

“If you can do your job and you’re clever with it, then I think you’ll have a long time in the game. I retired at 39, so I knew how to manage my body.

“The managers that I had knew how to manage me,’ just do two or three days of training, that’s fine,’ because they knew what they’d get on a match day. I think it’s the same with Casemiro.

“His footballing brain and knowledge are just outstanding. If you watch Casemiro, who tries to play a pass and it gets cut out, and then the other team go and breaks, and they might have had a chance, but if that pass comes up again, he’ll try it again.

“I just think you have to try and find somebody when he goes, that’s as brave as him, as clever as him, and as Man United as him, to be honest with you, because he’s loved it. Absolutely, I like watching him play.”

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Cole Palmer has been linked with a move to Manchester United this summer despite Liam Rosenior insisting that he is happy with Chelsea, and one Reds legend sees him as a superb signing

Lee Sharpe believes that Cole Palmer would be the perfect replacement for Bruno Fernandes, should the Portuguese playmaker opt to leave Manchester United this summer. The Wythenshawe-born 23-year-old has thrived with Chelsea since making the move from Manchester City in 2023.

And when rumours that Palmer was homesick in the English capital started to emerge earlier this year, United quickly found themselves linked with a sensational swoop for the attacking-midfielder. However, Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior was quick to downplay any suggestions that Palmer was unsettled at Stamford Bridge.

Should Palmer’s stance change in the near future, then Sharpe believes that he could excel with the Reds. However, he can’t see the talent getting into the United first-team while Fernandes is still with the club.

Speaking to BetBrain, the Manchester United legend said: “I’ve seen the rumours about Cole Palmer returning to Manchester United, that he’s a boyhood fan of the club. Maybe if Bruno Fernandes leaves Old Trafford, then Palmer could be an option to replace him, but if he stays then I don’t see how Palmer gets into the team.

“Palmer is a really exciting player and I’d love to see him in a United shirt, but there are a lot of boxes that need to be ticked before they go and get a player of his calibre.”

It comes as Fernandes’ future beyond 2025/26 has also been cast into doubt, despite the club captain devoting his allegiance to the Reds time and time again. The 31-year-old’s current contract expires next summer, although there is an option to extend his stay by a further 12 months.

However, with a wealth of interest from the Saudi Pro League last summer, it remains unknown whether his head would be turned should a lucrative deal come knocking again. It is understood that Fernandes will only hold talks with his agent regarding his future after this summer’s World Cup in North America.

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Elsewhere, United are also yet to make a decision on a new deal for Fernandes, given that they are still yet to appoint a permanent manager. Regardless of whether he stays or goes, United would be wise to invest in their engine room this summer.

Casemiro is set to part ways with Old Trafford this summer when his own contract expires, with United lacking depth outside of the Brazilian, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte – who has struggled to find his footing in the Premier League.

As a result, the Reds have been linked with a number of talents ahead of the summer transfer window, including but not limited to Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson. Elsewhere, Omar Berrada has hinted that the club’s transfer spending is not over as they take a ‘football-first approach’.

The Chief Executive Officer said: “We are now seeing the positive financial impact of our off-pitch transformation materialise both in our costs and profitability. We continue to take a football-first approach and invest in both our men’s and women’s first teams.

“On the pitch our men’s team sits 4th in the Premier League and our women’s team are 2nd in the Women’s Super League, as well as reaching the League Cup Final and the quarter final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

“Today’s results demonstrate the underlying strength of our business as we continue to push for the best football results possible for our Men’s and Women’s teams.”

Whether that investment will cover the £100m price tag that many see Wharton’s, Baleba’s and Anderson’s services to be worth, remains to be seen.

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Michael Carrick has some clear transfer plans at Manchester United if he is to assume the permanent head coach position at Old Trafford

Michael Carrick’s past comments hint he will want “better players” at Manchester United if he continues beyond the summer, but insists consistency within the current squad is key.

United have been able to string together a good run of form under the interim boss, winning four out of their last five games and drawing one. Carrick is only in place at the helm until the end of the season, but recent results have kick-started a petition to keep the former club captain as a permanent fixture in the hot seat.

The former Middlesbrough manager has been open about his desire to stay, telling BBC Sport it’s the “ultimate” dream. He said: “It’s not a stock answer – for me, it’s the ultimate role.

“I’m really enjoying it, I love what I’m doing. I’m fortunate. I feel privileged to be in the position I am, but it’s not the fact that I believe I can do it and I’m here to do it.

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“I said it when I came in – there’s the sentimental side of that… of understanding the role and coming through the club and being here and loving the club and being a supporter and all that side of it is one thing. But, actually, I’m here to do a job now and to make a good team and be successful.

“I don’t decide how long that’s going to be but I love being here and while I’m here, I’ll give everything I can. And I always plan for the long-term future for the benefit of the football club. That’s how I believe it should be.”

If Carrick does stay beyond this season then United fans will be pleased to hear of the manager’s former words on transfers. During his time as a player in 2011, the 44-year-old admitted that the club deserves the best of the best on the park.

While discussing midfield replacements as he and Paul Scholes contemplated a more veteran role, Carrick said: “At a club like this there are always going to be names being bandied around. To be honest, you want the best players to be here, whether it’s in my position or not. We’ve had it over the years and I’m sure we’ll have it again.”

His position on getting the best signings for the club isn’t likely to have changed since 2011 but instead matured as he adapted to the life of a coach. In fact, while managing at Boro, Carrick was adamant that solidifying his current squad was more important than a total overhaul in the transfer window.

He said: “In an ideal world, consistency and stability is what we need to build on for success. The players need to understand where we’re going and have those connections with each other.

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“It’s not a case where you can chop and change so many numbers so often. Sometimes circumstances will dictate that has to happen, like last summer.

“It’s not always fully under our control because there are other situations going on. But certainly, consistency and stability of a squad and group of players helps you improve and helps you improve together in order to achieve success.”