'Addressed the issue internally' - Borussia Dortmund confirm they held talks over Jadon Sancho move but needed a 'sheikh' to finance big-money switch for former star who ended up at Aston Villa

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Borussia Dortmund wanted to sign Jadon Sancho in the summer, but conceded there is 'no state, no sheikh, no billionaire' behind them to finance the move.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Bundesliga club entered talks with Sancho this summer in the hope of agreeing a deal for the attacker who had been added to the ever-growing Manchester United 'bomb squad'. But Director of Football Sebastian Kehl has now admitted his club would need a major sponsor to provide massive investment if they had any hope of sealing the deal. 

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Sancho was surplus to requirements at Old Trafford as United enter another period of transition under Ruben Amorim. And Dortmund had hoped to re-sign the player who scored 50 goals in 137 appearances between 2017 and 2021 during four very successful years in Germany. But, following another loan spell at Signal Iduna Park last year, Dortmund were beaten to his signing by Aston Villa who have agreed a loan with obligation to buy deal. 

WHAT KEHL SAID

Kehl told Bild: "Of course, we also addressed the issue internally at some point, but there must be a feasible economic framework. With the transfers we have made, we have invested approximately £87 million ($117m) in new players, similar to last summer. But there is no state, no sheikh, no billionaire behind us. We have to earn our own money and, in the long run, can only spend what we previously earned. We have exhausted our financial possibilities for this transfer period."

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WHAT NEXT FOR SANCHO?

Sancho has left the conversation regarding the brightest players in England and needs to re-establish himself after the failed spell at Manchester United. His debut for the Villans could come away at Everton when the Premier League returns from the international break.