Manchester United have confirmed the £73million signing of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.
The 21-year-old forward completed a medical at United’s Carrington training base last week and the final negotiations of his transfer from Germany have now been completed.
In a slick unveiling video, Sancho declares ‘this is my club, this is where I belong’ as he poses in the new United home strip.
Sancho said: ‘I’ll always be grateful to Dortmund for giving me the opportunity to play first team football, although I always knew that I would return to England one day.
Jadon Sancho is welcomed to Manchester United by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his £73million transfer from Borussia Dortmund was confirmed on Friday
The England star smiles as he poses in the new United home shirt at their Carrington base
Sancho described signing for United as a ‘dream come true’ as he looks forward to playing in the Premier League for the first time in his career
‘The chance to join Manchester United is a dream come true and I just cannot wait to perform in the Premier League.
‘This is a young and exciting squad and I know, together, we can develop into something special to bring the success that the fans deserve.
‘I am looking forward to working with the manager and his coaching team to further develop my game.’
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: ‘Jadon epitomises the type of player I want to bring to the club, he is a forward player in the best traditions of Manchester United.
‘He will form an integral part of my squad for years to come and we look forward to seeing him blossom. His goals and assists records speak for themselves and he will also bring tremendous pace, flair and creativity to the team.
‘Old Trafford will give him the platform he needs to release his untapped talent and perform at the highest level.
‘For a player of his age, Jadon has already achieved a great deal and showed the courage to go and prove himself abroad. We all look forward to welcoming Jadon to the squad as we prepare for the new campaign.’
Sancho moves back to Manchester just four years after quitting United’s rivals City to move to Germany, where he scored 50 goals in 137 matches for the Bundesliga outfit.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has held a long-term interest in the winger and the Red Devils attempted to lure him from Dortmund last summer but failed to agree terms with the German club, who wanted £108m for their English star.
Solskjaer and Sancho shake hands after he put pen to paper on his United contract
Sancho moves back to Manchester just four years after quitting United’s rivals City
The winger ended up staying at Signal Iduna Park and he netted a further 16 goals and 20 assists for the German side, who could only finish third in the Bundesliga but did win the German Cup.
Sancho arrives at Old Trafford after representing England at this summer’s European Championships, but his campaign – which saw him start just once for the Three Lions throughout the whole tournament – ended in despair in the final.
The 21-year-old was one of three England players to miss penalties in the shootout loss to Italy, including new Manchester United team-mate Marcus Rashford and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, with Sancho being brought on in the final minute of extra-time ahead of the spot-kicks.
Sancho spoke out about the racist abuse he and his ‘brothers’ Rashford and Saka received after Euro 2020 on Wednesday and insisted ‘hate will never win’ before revealing his post-final feeling was the ‘worst I’ve felt’.
The England winger is currently enjoying a summer break following a long season and jetted off on holiday with compatriot and his new club team-mate Rashford on Thursday.
Marcus Rashford (left) and Sancho (right) jetted off on a lavish holiday together to the Turks and Caicos islands on Thursday
Sancho arrives at United having missed a crucial penalty for England in the Euro 2020 final
The pair are close friends and will now spend their time away after England’s Euro heartbreak – and before returning to training – living the high life in Turks and Caicos.
They have flown to Providenciales, a picturesque island in the Atlantic Ocean, which is on the UK Government’s green list and will provide the Three Lions stars with the perfect backdrop while they soak up the sun during their getaway.
Sancho could appear at Old Trafford for the first time in their pre-season friendly at home to Everton on August 7, but that will depend on his match fitness and whether Solskjaer will want to risk him at an early stage after his summer break.
The winger is United’s second summer signing of the transfer window after goalkeeper Tom Heaton returned to the club on a free transfer from Aston Villa, but the Red Devils do not appear to be done in the transfer market just yet.
They are in talks with the representatives of France defender Raphael Varane over a move from Real Madrid but are yet to open negotiations with the Spanish side.
The England winger is United’s second summer signing of the summer transfer window
United want to add Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane to their ranks, who is valued at £60m
But one stumbling block could be Madrid’s asking price of £60million for a defender that only has 12 months left on his current deal. At 28 Varane will not have a huge amount of resale value either.
Yet Sancho’s arrival is the latest sign of intent from Solskjaer’s side that they are ready to breach the gap between them and rivals City, who won the Premier League by 12 points last season.
United finished second in England’s top flight last term and also ended the campaign as Europa League runners-up to Villarreal – who defeated the Red Devils after a long-running penalty shootout in the Gdansk final.
At £73m, Sancho arrives as the fourth most-expensive Manchester United signing of all time. Only Harry Maguire (£75m) Romelu Lukaku (£76m) and Paul Pogba (£94m) have cost the Red Devils more money.