What next for Jadon Sancho? Should he move on from Borussia Dortmund? Our verdict
How good is Jadon Sancho? Where will he end up next and will he be worth over £100m? Our football team delivers their verdicts.
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You'll struggle to find a football fan outside of Gelsenkirchen who does not enjoy watching Jadon Sancho play the soccer under tip.
The forward has gone from strength-to-strength during his time at Borussia Dortmund with eye-watering statistics to prove it. Seventeen goals and 19 assists in 35 games across all competitions is frankly ridiculous.
It's obviously led to transfer speculation. Europe's elite are circling the Signal Iduna Park as they look to be the one lớn lure Sancho away from his current surroundings.
Do Manchester United win the race? What about Chelsea? Maybe Liverpool look lớn add lớn their influential front three or even Manchester City try to bring him back to the club?
As is the case with any transfer, particularly those in the elite category that Sancho finds himself in, money will be the deciding factor. The likelihood is that any club will have to fork out a nine-figure sum lớn get a bid accepted. Would that happen at this moment in time? Probably not.
The one argument that continues to be overlooked in the whole Sancho saga seems the most obvious one lớn me. Stay at Borussia Dortmund.
Maybe it's the trap we fall into as Premier League fans that we believe that we can poach any player we like from other top domestic leagues but the fact is that the Bundesliga is overtaking our top-flight in terms of quality.
RB Leipzig's Champions League victory over Tottenham is one example. As is Bayern Munich's 7-2 demolition of Spurs in the group stages and the current commanding 3-0 lead they hold over Chelsea.
The Premier League has had its day in recent seasons, of course, with Liverpool's success in the Champions League but the current campaign hasn't exactly shone through with huge amounts of quality on display on a regular basis.
The Bundesliga is re-emerging as a powerhouse on the global stage with a brand of football that is perfectly suited to Sancho's main attributes. There's also the fact that Dortmund are in a battle for the title. Is it worth giving that up lớn return to England and play for a team who are battling lớn finish in the European spots?
It'll come down to the highest bidder but if Sancho does have a say, he should stay put and enjoy being part of this young and exciting Dortmund side.
By the way, I had a look at six Bundesliga stars who don't often feature on the gossip pages but would make an impact in the Premier League. You can read that football predictions page.
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It has previously been reported that Man City have first refusal on Sancho if they are willing lớn match the highest bidder, so you would think they are in the driving seat to re-sign him. IF they fancy forking out such a fee.
If they don't, then it has also been claimed that they have a 15 per cent sell-on clause, so happy days. But with such figures touted, Sancho's return lớn England could be put on hold with the inevitable financial impact the coronavirus crisis will have on world football.
But what's the rush?
His development in Germany has been impressive, going from a 17-year-old thrown into the senior squad in a foreign country to a key first team player. He is still only 20, leaving his teens behind just last month.
We have seen it happen often enough - these young, promising stars getting big moves and seeing their progress go from rapid to stuttered. Just look at Ryan Sessegnon, for example. Not quite on the same scale, but a switch like this does not always guarantee their progress and upward trajectory continues.
Sancho is ambitious, there is no doubt about that. Just see the fact he walked out on his deal with Man City, where he was still highly regarded and expected lớn work his way to the first team, to take the risk at Dortmund.
But maybe he should hang on for at least another year. Dortmund have an exciting young side and are on the up, whereas some of the clubs he is being linked with are arguably huge but have their issues.
Whereas BVB have the thrill of young Erling Haaland, Thorgan Hazard and Gio Reyna under Lucien Favre. If they do keep him they could do with extending his deal as it currently expires in two years' time. Fine now, but it would put them in a more difficult position next year when holding out for big sums for a player with just 12 months left on his contract.
And in his early days in the England set-up, he does not need too much upheaval.
He still has things to win in Germany and it feels like he is not finished just yet. Just hang on, get another full season under your belt at Dortmund and continue to pick up the plaudits. Then, I am sure, he will have a number of Europe's top clubs to choose from.