Dortmund, CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has admitted Jadon Sancho has struggled at the club this term because he expected to join Manchester United last summer.
The England winger was the subject of serious interest from the Red Devils and United had been confident of bagging the former Manchester City midfielder.
However, United failed to meet Dortmund’s £108million asking price for Sancho meaning he’s spent another season in Germany.
Despite Dortmund’s happiness at keeping Sancho, the England international has struggled mentally to get over the failure of moving to the Theatre of Dreams.
Sancho scored 17 goals and provided 17 assists last term but he’s managed just five goals this season and has been noticably below-par.
United are expected to renew their interest in Sancho next summer and Watzke admits the winger’s form has suffered as a result of the failed move.
Subconsciously, Jadon had probably already prepared a little for a change,’ Watzke told Kicker.
‘I think he had at least thought so much about it that he lost his ease. I have found him trying very hard for weeks.’
‘The biggest difference is that he used to not think about his next ball action.
‘Now he thinks about it, and the tenth of a second that he misses is often exactly the one in which the opponent is already on his feet.’
Despite that, United relentlessly tried to talk the Bundesliga club down from their valuation and the Red Devils offered a £90m package that would have seen around one-third of the deal paid in the coming years.
Dortmund were unhappy with the structuring of United’s offers, with Watzke confirming they never contemplated accepting such terms.
‘If you get a signal at some point that a large part of the amount offered will only be paid in a few years, it will finally be a pure theoretical discussion,’ said Watzke.
