Just because international football is happening doesn’t mean club football has to stop.
Well, the transfer part at least.
And it seems the European Championship isn’t the only thing that was postponed from last summer to this summer.
The Jadon Sancho transfer saga has returned!
Once again Manchester United want the England winger. And once again they won’t pay the asking price Borussia Dortmund have set.
At least not yet, anyway.
What exactly is going on? It’s quite simple.
Manchester United have made a bid of around €70 million or €78m with bonuses which is still some way off Dortmund’s asking price of €90-95m.
German media initially reported the offer. Then English media confirmed that the offer had been rejected.
However, talks are still ongoing between the clubs, while Sancho has already agreed terms to join United.
Last summer the clubs were never this close together when it came to a deal, so all indications are that the Sancho to Old Trafford transfer will happen.
Sancho and his entourage hoped to get things over the line before the Euros kicked off, but it’s too late for that now and it seems as though the transfer rumour mill will continue to produce news on this for another few weeks.
The Euro deadline has passed but pre-season is not until July, so expect plenty of paper talk even while the European Championship is happening.
Sancho himself isn’t giving much away, telling talkSPORT: “I’m cool about it,” he said. “There’s always going to be speculation, especially when you do well.
“It’s just how you handle that on the pitch. You’ve got to keep doing what you’re doing, if you keep on doing that then I’m sure that won’t be a problem. “The main thing is my football and that’s what I’m focusing on at the moment.” That said, it seems just a matter of time before an agreement will be reached - which will most likely be Manchester United giving into Dortmund’s demands.
Last summer, Dortmund did not give in and this summer they are unlikely to either. Michael Zorc drives a hard bargain, but in the end, United need to improve if they are to challenge Man City for the title, and what better way than by signing the former City winger who is now one of the best young players in the world?
Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul)