Borussia Dortmund have put their pursuit of Jadon Sancho on hold and shifted their focus to signing a creative number ten — most notably Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri — as they try to complete reinforcements before pre-season.
Sky Sport Germany reported this week that the trail for Sancho has cooled and Dortmund are prioritising a playmaker who can operate as a No. 10 and drift wide, rather than a permanent reunion with the 26-year-old. Sancho spent this season on loan at Aston Villa, making just eight starts, and Manchester United did not take up the one-year option to extend his contract after he joined them in 2021 for €85 million.
Dortmund’s sporting director Ole Book framed the club’s timetable plainly: "It can be early or late. We all, including the coaching staff, would prefer it if we could make one or two more transfers before the start of pre-season preparation." He added of potential targets: "I do think that he has a certain creativity. We know him well; we like him too. Like probably many other clubs, we like the player. Everything else remains to be seen."
The alternative leading Dortmund’s thinking is 19-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who is on loan at Marseille after joining the French club in January. Nwaneri has made just three starts for Marseille since his arrival, scoring twice in nine appearances overall, and earlier this season he made six Premier League appearances and received a Premier League winners’ medal with Arsenal.
Arsenal tied Nwaneri to a contract extension through to 2030 last year, a move that initially blocked Dortmund a year ago. While Nwaneri is reported to be open to a potential move to the Bundesliga and Arsenal are said to be open to his departure, clubs face a complex negotiation: Arsenal’s asking price is high for an academy graduate and another loan would be difficult to secure, leaving Dortmund to weigh a costly purchase against limited first-team evidence.
That lack of playing time is part of the friction. Marseille coach Habib Beye has publicly said Nwaneri has not shown enough to warrant more minutes, and the youngster’s limited starts — three for Marseille since January and nine appearances in total for the club — give Dortmund reason to proceed cautiously even as they rate his technical profile.
Financial constraints are also shaping Dortmund’s approach. The club has spent on Kaua Prates and Joane Gadou recently and is reported to be working with a tighter budget, which helps explain why the team is weighing younger, cheaper options rather than committing to a high-cost permanent deal for a known quantity like Sancho.
Dortmund are also tracking other youth prospects. The club has shown interest in 16-year-old Kennet Eichhorn from Hertha Berlin, who reportedly carries an exit clause worth €9 million — a markedly different price point from potential deals for Sancho or Nwaneri and one that fits a model of buying young and developing talent.
The tension is simple: Dortmund say they want a creative No. 10 who can drift wide, and they praise Sancho’s qualities even as the market cools on him; at the same time, the club must decide whether to risk big money on an experienced attacker or invest in youthful upside that fits their budget and system. For jadon sancho, whose immediate prospects now appear paused, the next week of the transfer window will reveal whether Dortmund choose familiarity and experience or youth and long-term potential.
