Man Utd still not giving up on signing Jadon Sancho; Liverpool may approach Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara in the January window
Wednesday 9 September 2020 11:38, UK
Jadon Sancho remains Manchester United's top transfer target with the club still in negotiations with the player's representatives, Dharmesh Sheth tells The Transfer Show.
United are not giving up on trying to sign Sancho - who Borussia Dortmund value at £108m - despite sporting director Michael Zorc saying that the 20-year-old winger will not be sold in this window and "the decision is final".
However, despite the Bundesliga club's hard stance, talks over personal terms and agent fees continue between United and Sancho's representatives.
The London-born winger has enjoyed a meteoric rise in Germany's top flight, registering 17 goals and 16 assists in 32 Bundesliga games last season and also helping Dortmund win the German Super Cup.
"If you take what Borussia Dortmund are saying on face value - there is no deal. They set their own deadline and have said he's staying. That's the end, that's final," Sky Sports News reporter Sheth said.
"I don't think Man United feel that it is final. They are still negotiating with Sancho's representatives about personal terms and agent fees.
"Once they have done that, they will go to Dortmund with a bid and hopefully see him agitate for a move to United.
"As far as Man United are concerned, he remains the No 1 target - they do want to bring Jadon Sancho to the club - I don't think that it is completely dead."
United's chances of convincing Sancho to come to Old Trafford will have been enhanced by them qualifying for the Champions League, but they also see the German club's €120m (£108m) valuation for the player under the current coronavirus conditions as "unrealistic" for a player who Dortmund themselves signed for £7.2m three years ago.
The club are also unwilling to break their wage structure for the England international following the unsuccessful transfer of Alexis Sanchez.
United have completed big-money moves for Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes in the last two transfer windows but feel the environment for deals has shifted since the coronavirus pandemic - with fees reflecting the tough financial conditions.
Premier League champions Liverpool have been linked with a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara but, according to Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol, the club may opt to approach him in January instead.
Thiago has less than a year left on his current deal, meaning that Liverpool could sign him on a pre-contract agreement from January onwards to avoid paying the €30m (£27.2m) asking price for the 29-year-old.
"He said a few days ago that his future was going to be sorted out this week," Kaveh Solhekol told The Transfer Show.
"Also, in the press conference he gave a few days ago, he said that he had not come out and said that he was going to leave Bayern.
"He seemed to suggest that it was stories that journalists were inventing - but look - it's clear he's told Bayern he wants to leave. There was a contract extension on the table for him to sign, at the last minute he decided not to sign that.
"He's out of contract next summer, and he's told Bayern that he wants a new challenge. A lot of people think that's in the Premier League with Liverpool. However, we know Barcelona are also interested in signing him.
"As far as Liverpool are concerned, these stories are being driven by the German side of things. Liverpool have not made a move yet, and if they were to make a move, it would be dependant on a midfielder leaving.
"Of course, a lot of people think Georginio Wijnaldum could be on his way to Barcelona to link up once again with Ronald Koeman but we understand Barca have not made an official approach, despite being very interested in signing him.
"He's 29 and there's no way Liverpool are going to pay 30 million euros for a 29-year-old who will be out of contract in nine, 10 months.
"He's a player they could speak to in January about a pre-contract agreement. There's no burning need for them to sign him now."
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The summer transfer window will run for 10 weeks from July 27 and close at 11pm on October 5.
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