Jadon Sancho could hand Manchester United £3.5million FFP boost ahead of summer decision

Manchester United's hopes of winning the Champions League have been put on hold until at least 2026 at the earliest, after their weekend draw with Burnley ended any hopes of a top-four finish. But for one United player the dream of winning it this season is still very much alive.

There will be plenty of intrigue as the semi-finals take place this week, in particular on Wednesday night, when Jadon Sancho lines up for loan side Borussia Dortmund against Paris Saint-Germain for a place in June's final. It would be quite the turn of events if the London-born forward were to reach a Champions League final being played in the city of his birth.

Sancho heads into the match in encouraging form for Dortmund, having scored a stunning goal in their 4-1 defeat to RB Leipzig at the weekend. He now has three goals and one assist since he rejoined them in the January transfer window.

The biggest difference for Sancho in recent weeks is that he simply looks happy again. He is at a club where he has succeeded before and feels right at home, but also a club who know how to get the best out of him.

Sancho's rejuvenation in Germany must be taken with a pinch of salt given that he has done it before and failed to transfer it to the Premier League. No matter how well he does between now and the end of the season, there is little evidence to suggest things would be different when he returns to United.

However, if he does play a key role in an historic Champions League win, then the noise will be hard to ignore. As long as Erik ten Hag remains in charge of United it looks highly unlikely the 24-year-old will be reintegrated into the squad, but if he were to leave, then his situation would have to be revaluated by whoever comes in. United sources insist no decision has been made on Ten Hag by the Ineos Group, but it is certainly a possibility that they look to change managers at the end of the season.

The most likely outcome is still that Sancho is allowed to leave this summer, though it remains to be seen whether or not that would be a full sale or a loan with the option to buy. United will have to take a heavy hit on the £73 million they spent on him three years ago, but it would still likely command a club-record fee from Dortmund to buy him back permanently.

Then there are his wage demands. Sancho would have to take a pay-cut if he were to leave United on a full transfer, while any loan deal would likely rely on United subsidising his wages, as they are doing at the moment.

As part of the loan agreement for Sancho, United received a 'significant' bonus when Dortmund reached the Champions League semi-finals and would be due another pay out if they went on to reach the final, taking the total to roughly £3.5 million. It is understood United have already recouped the majority of Sancho's wages for the second half of the season due to these bonuses and they would be paid in full if all the bonuses end up being achieved.

There is also the added bonus that each time a clause is triggered it boosts United's position when it comes to complying with financial fair play rules and the Premier League's own Profit and Sustainability Rules.

United haven't lost out in the short-term by loaning Sancho out, but they could be in an uncomfortable position by the summer, given the power lies with the prospective buyers and there would be a real pressure for United to cash-in on Sancho if indeed he is still viewed as surplus to requirements.

So while their own hopes of winning the Champions League have to be put on hold for a couple of years, from a United perspective it is probably best if Sancho stars in a Dortmund run to the final and drives up the transfer interest in him this summer.

Sancho's loan could end up giving United a £3.5million boost, but they might need Champions League success in order to help avoid a huge loss this summer.