Man Utd and Chelsea exit latest as £50m fee and £35m release clause pose problems

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• EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey

As Borussia Dortmund plan for their first UEFA Champions League final since 2013, the club are keen on completing some important transfer business this summer.

This has been a superb run into the final of the Champions League for Borussia Dortmund with the German side knocking out Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Atletico Madrid and PSV. One of the key players for the German side has been forgotten winger Jadon Sancho, who re-joined the German side in January.

As well as Sancho, who put in a superb performance against PSG at the Signal Iduna Park, but on loan left-back Ian Maatsen has also looked impressive for the Bundesliga outfit.

To that end, HITC sources understands that Dortmund are confident of keeping Maatsen and Sancho beyond the Champions League final.

Maatsen demand

After a good loan spell at Burnley, the left-back joined Dortmund and has been outstanding. The defender’s good form has brought him to the attention of rivals Bayern Munich, as well as Manchester City. However, HITC is told that Maatsen wants to make his move to Dortmund permanent.

There is no option to make the deal permanent with Chelsea so Dortmund would have to negotiate with the Blues demanding £35 million for the sale of Maatsen, but that is a figure the German side would be keen on negotiating down.

If they cannot bring the overall fee down then Dortmund would be keen on negotiating the installments in the deal to try and save money, as they not only want to sign Maatsen but also Sancho, who has been revitalised in Germany.

Sancho deal looks to be difficult for Dortmund

The permanent signing of Sancho for Dortmund, however, may not be as cut and dry for the German side. HITC understands that the winger has made it clear to his parent club, Manchester United, that he only wants to return to the Bundesliga side this summer.

United would, ideally, like to sell Sancho, however, they also wont accept a cut-price deal as HITC understands they want more than £50million, with Dortmund looking unlikely to be able to finance such a sizeable deal this summer.

The Red Devils would be open to another loan move for the Englishman but are understood to want an option to make the loan permanent if that is indeed the road that Dortmund choose to go down.

Sancho joined United from Dortmund in the summer of 2021 for a fee in the region of £73 million, so the Red Devils would be making a hefty loss on the 24-year-old and that’s even if the German side cough up £50 million for the winger.