Manchester United and England winger Jadon Sancho has rejoined former club Borussia Dortmund on loan for the rest of the 2023-24 season.
The 23-year-old moved to Old Trafford in a £73m deal from German club Dortmund in July 2021.
He has not played for United since 26 August after falling out with manager Erik ten Hag and has been training away from the first team since September.
The loan contract contains no option to buy.
“When I came into the dressing room today, it felt like ‘coming home’,” Sancho said.
“I know the club inside and out, I’ve always been very close with the fans here, and I’ve never lost contact with those in charge.
“I can’t wait to see my team-mates again, go out on the pitch, play football with a smile on my face, prepare goals, score goals and help qualify for the Champions League.”
Sancho is already in Germany having completed a medical on Wednesday, and is expected to join the club’s mid-season training camp in Marbella.
Dortmund will pay 3.5m euros (£3m), with up to an additional 4m euros (£3.4m) in add-ons which are subject to appearances, Champions League progress and qualification.
The deal covers the majority of Sancho’s wages, and if the bonuses are paid in full it would be more than 100% of Sancho’s salary to the end of the season.
Sancho previously spent four seasons with the Bundesliga club from 2017, scoring 50 goals in 137 appearances.
His high-profile move to Old Trafford has seen him struggle for form and consistency, scoring 12 goals in 82 appearances.
His relationship with Ten Hag deteriorated after the was omitted from the squad for September’s defeat at Arsenal, with the Dutchman stating it was because of his performance in training.
Sancho rejected those claims and said on social media that he was being made a “scapegoat” and later refused to apologise for his comments, which led to his exile.
“Jadon is an absolute difference player and I’m looking forward to seeing him back in black and yellow soon,” added Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga and resume their campaign at Darmstadt on 13 January following a brief winter training camp in Marbella, Spain.
