Manchester United transfer news: Solskjaer's top target ready to join; players want local star instead

Manchester United's pursuit of Jadon Sancho just got a shot in the arm with reports stating that the young attacker has been told that he can leave this summer by his current employers, Borussia Dortmund.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made no secret of his desire to strengthen the squad this summer and Sancho is said to be on top of his shortlist of wanted players. The Norwegian boss is keen to strengthen the wide attacking areas and the England international remains his first choice for the role.

According to German news publication BILD, the Bundesliga club is ready to say goodbye to Sancho this summer if interested clubs can meet their valuation. The report claims that they have already lined up a replacement for the former Manchester City academy star.

Sancho joined Dortmund in 2017 after refusing a senior contract at City and has gone on to star for the German team in the last four seasons. He has made 167 appearances scoring 50 goals and providing 65 assists, and is only just 21 years old.

The young Englishman is a proven talent yet to hit his peak and Solskjaer is keen to bring him back to England this summer. United were the frontrunners last summer for Sancho but Dortmund's demand of £110 million saw them end their interest.

The German club is said to be ready to lower their hefty demands this summer with a fee in the region of £85 million said to be enough to get the deal over the line. However, United will face competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the race for Sancho remains an open one. The Red Devils along with Liverpool and Chelsea have all been linked with interest for the young attacker.

Sancho is said to love the idea of joining United in the summer, but it is likely to come down to which club will meet Dortmund's transfer demands, especially if it turns into a bidding war between the three Premier League giants.

"He would love to join Manchester United. But also Liverpool are looking at the player if they sell some players in attacking positions," Romano said, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News. "Let's see what happens with Chelsea. At the moment I'm told Chelsea have not had anything official with his agents or with Borussia Dortmund."

Meanwhile, according to the Telegraph, the United players have told Solskjaer to target Aston Villa star Jack Grealish rather than Sancho this summer. However, the Red Devils boss is ready to stick to his decision to pursue the Dortmund star.