Fabrizio Romano reports: Borussia Dortmund has officially completed the transfer of €17 million Manchester United superstar Jadon Sancho after he agreed on personal terms with the club

Dortmund surged over the finish line in 2024/25, winning their last seven league games to climb from mid-table to fourth, securing UEFA Champions League football on the final day.

After a short break following their run to the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals, BVB returned to action in pre-season wins over Sportfreunde Siegen and Lille. A 2-1 defeat to Juventus followed last weekend, a game that was notable in celebrating the career of Mats Hummels, but marred by an injury to his replacement Niklas Süle.

Süle is set to miss the first two months of the campaign, leaving head coach Niko Kovač with a headache at centre-half. Nico Schlotterbeck is already sidelined, while versatile captain Emre Can, who filled in at the back a number of times last season, is also out.

That leaves Waldemar Anton as the only fit and proven out-an-out central defender, though Italian youngster Filippo Mané earned praise for his performances in pre-season. Ramy Bensebaini can also operate on the left-hand side of a three-man defence.

Further forward, new signing Jobe Bellingham is in line to make his debut in competitive German football after impressing in the No.10 role at the Club World Cup.

Essen finished eighth in the third division last season and have stuttered out of the blocks so far in 2024/25 after picking up a pair of 1-1 draws from their two opening league games.