Bayer Leverkusen eye 25yo United star to replace Wirtz, could be signed for "less than £20m" - report

Bayer Leverkusen could approach to sign one of Manchester United’s outcasts during the summer transfer window, according to Sunday Mirror (page 65).

The Red Devils are preparing for a busy summer. They plan to make multiple signings, but it could coincide with several players heading for the exit door.

Antony, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho are strong candidates to depart after respective loan stints.

Chelsea have an obligation to purchase Sancho for £25 million this summer, but Sunday Mirror claim that they have decided to pay a £5m penalty fee to come out of the agreement.

Hence, Sancho will remain contracted to the Red Devils, but his situation could change quickly with Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund keen on landing his signature.

Leverkusen are set to part ways with manager Xabi Alonso and playmaker Florian Wirtz. The latter, valued at £100m, could join Manchester City or Bayern Munich this summer.

The former German champions plan to replace him with Sancho. They could have the upper hand over Dortmund, who are likely to miss out on Champions League football, as things stand.

Meanwhile, neither of those clubs are likely to meet Sancho’s £250,000 per week wages. United hope to ‘make the numbers work’ by sanctioning his sale for ‘less than £20m’.

United set to part ways with Sancho this summer

The England international fell out of favour under former manager Erik ten Hag and he was loaned out to Chelsea on deadline day last summer with a conditional obligation to buy.

The clause became active after the Blues secured a top-14 league finish, but no one expected a penalty fee in the deal. Chelsea have now decided to pay £5m to cancel the agreement.

In our view, there is no route for Sancho back into the squad. His ‘freedom’ comment on Rashford’s Instagram post earlier this year has worsened his relationship with the club’s faithful.

United must cut their losses on his services. The plan was to offload him for £25m. The club are set to receive £5m from the Blues. Hence, we are not surprised by the £20m valuation.

His wages are a major stumbling block for most European clubs. Nordi Mukiele is the highest earner at Leverkusen at £137,000 per week, with the rest earning below £100,000 weekly.

However, their salary packages are bound to increase with the German outfit making the Champions League for a second straight year. Even then, Sancho’s salary could be steep for them.

In our view, the 25-year-old may need to accept a reasonable pay cut to make the switch. Leverkusen could be willing to make him their highest earner as they are set to bank big money from Wirtz’s exit.

Dortmund are interested in signing Sancho for a third time in his career, but Leverkusen are a better destination as they are guaranteed Champions League football and are competing for trophies.

Stats from Capology.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .