Update on Borussia Dortmund's interest in Man City wonderkid Jayden Braaf
By Tom Gott
Borussia Dortmund are continuing to monitor young Manchester City winger Jayden Braaf as they consider a potential bid for the Dutch starlet in January.
18-year-old Braaf has long been touted as a future star and was rewarded with a lengthy contract extension in August 2019, but he has managed just two appearances for City's Under-23 side this season and has been left out of the matchday squad altogether for 12 of the team's 14 competitive games thus far.
A report from Manchester Evening News earlier in December revealed that Braaf had grown frustrated with his lack of progression at the club, while City officials have been left unimpressed with his response to his situation.
The latest update on the situation comes from BILD, who note that Dortmund have been 'very interested' in Braaf for a long time now and are contemplating pulling the trigger on a deal which bears huge similarities to their signing of Jadon Sancho in 2017.
Dortmund lured Sancho away from the Etihad for a fee or around £8m after the Englishman grew tired of his lack of senior minutes, and he has since gone on to establish himself as one of the most exciting wingers in world football.
The German side see a lot of similarities between Sancho and Braaf and are ready to pay a similar fee to bring in the latter, but unlike with Sancho, City would insist on inserting a buy-back clause for Braaf. Nice that they've finally learned their lesson.
It doesn't seem as though the deal is done just yet, although an earlier report from the Daily Star claimed with some confidence that Braaf will join Dortmund at the end of the season.
Dortmund are clearly leading the race for his signature, but Braaf has also attracted interest from other Bundesliga sides, and several teams from his native Netherlands are also believed to have expressed an interest in signing him.
City are hoping for a permanent sale which satisfies everyone, but it is said that they are open to a loan deal as well in the hope that it will reignite the fire under Braaf once again.
Club officials still have incredibly high hopes for Braaf, who was named as City's Under-23 Players' Player of the Year last season, but there's an acceptance that his current situation isn't working out for anyone involved.