The Bundesliga giants have declared the England international isn’t going anywhere this summer, but not everybody believes them
Jadon Sancho will soon be a Manchester United player, with Borussia Dortmund simply playing hardball to get the best deal possible, according to Owen Hargreaves.
The Red Devils have made Sancho one of their main summer transfer targets and negotiations have been taking place between the two clubs for some time.
Goal can confirm the Bundesliga outfit want €120 million (£108m/$142m) for the England international, but the two clubs were said to be far apart on their negotiations last week despite claims an agreement had been reached.
Dortmund set a deadline of Monday to reach an agreement, otherwise there would be no deal. And with no agreement in sight, Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has declared that Sancho will be staying in Germany next season.
Hargreaves, though, believes this is simply a bargaining tactic designed to extract a few more million from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
“Bluff. I’m calling bluff, I think he’ll be a Man Utd player in a pretty short time,” the former Manchester United midfielder told BT Sport.
“They are just trying to get some more money out of it. It’s the nature of the beast.
“Obviously they know United are really interested and they are pretty heavy into negotiations. I think they are bluffing and they know he is going to leave at that price.”
Two more former United players, Robin van Persie and Paul Scholes, agreed with Hargreaves’ assertion that Sancho will end up at Old Trafford.
The duo feel United’s failure to land Erling Haaland, who joined Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg in January, will make them even more determined to land a prime transfer target this time.
“By the looks of it, Dortmund are playing some hard ball,” Van Persie told BT Sport. “But that’s how the game is played.
“Dortmund want more money so it depends on Man United, if they want to go the extra mile. If they really rate him and think he can be that big of a hit, they will.
“They missed out on [Erling] Haaland and I think it was a missed chance. Because Everyone’s seen over the last six to eight months what he can do. He’s a brilliant player.
“They don’t want to miss out on the next big thing but how far are they willing to go? That’s the trick question here. It’s business.”
Scholes added: “They’re just after a little bit more money out of it. They are talking about £108m, which is a lot of money. [But] He looks a brilliant player who will improve any team in world football with his assists and his goals.
“The one thing I would say about United is that they were desperate for Haaland and they didn’t quite go the extra mile to pay the money they wanted for him.
“Will they do it with Sancho? I think they will. If Ole desperately wants him, I think they will get him.”
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