Borussia Dortmund loanee Jadon Sancho has been challenged by head coach Edin Terzic to improve his performances after a disappointing display in the recent Champions League draw against PSV Eindhoven. Despite Terzic acknowledging Sancho’s positive attitude and impact on the team, the England international’s lack of contribution demands improvement.
Sancho, who returned to Dortmund on loan from Manchester United in January, started the match against PSV but was substituted midway through the second half due to his underwhelming performance. Terzic, while emphasizing Sancho’s potential, acknowledged the need for improvement: “With Jadon, it’s always good to have him around, but he didn’t have his best performance today. He knows he can play better, and that’s what we’re working on.”
Statistics further highlight Sancho’s struggles. During his time on the pitch, he failed to register a shot or a key pass, won only two of his seven duels, and did not draw a single foul. This performance earned him a low rating of 5.6 from FootballCritic, making it the second-worst rating of the night amongst Dortmund players.
Despite this dip in form, Terzic remains positive about Sancho’s overall impact on the team and his attitude: “He’s full of joy, and we’re happy to have him around.” However, the lack of goals and assists in his four starts for Dortmund, with only a converted penalty against Koln to show for his efforts, raises concerns and emphasizes the need for a turnaround.
Sancho seeking his best level
Jadon Sancho’s return to Borussia Dortmund this season, while met with anticipation, has not yet yielded the impact the club had hoped for in their pursuit of Bundesliga glory.
Despite a respectable 16 goals and 20 assists in 38 appearances during his final season at Dortmund (2020/21), Sancho struggled to replicate that form after joining Manchester United. Publicly falling out with manager Erik ten Hag in September led to his exile from the first team and ultimately, a loan back to Dortmund for the final weeks of the season.
While Dortmund understood they might not see the peak Sancho, they hoped his experience and talent would provide a crucial edge in key matches. However, as evidenced by the recent PSV Eindhoven encounter, Sancho is still not at the level expected to deliver such a decisive contribution.