England kids are No1, says Dortmund chief
English football has developed an edge over germany when it comes to producing elite teenage players, according to Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc. Jadon sancho has stunned Zorc with the speed of his progress since his £8million move from Manchester City to Dortmund in 2017.
sancho, 18, has forced his way into lucien Favre’s team, become an England international and accelerated the trend for young players moving to the Bundesliga. ‘it seems to me they overtook us,’ said Zorc. ‘let’s go back, say, five to 10 years, there was a time when English clubs signed german players.
‘There was a lot of discussion here. You know, “it’s all about money, it’s too early for them to go to England” but in the meantime we feel the education and development of youth players in the English academies is quite good.
‘The teams don’t only spend much money on transfers or salaries but also on infrastructure. When you see these youth academies —for example Manchester City — you can’t compare it with the german standard. it’s much higher, much higher.
‘And also it seems to me that it’s something like a business model for them because even if they don’t succeed in their own teams they sell them for higher prices. i read that Manchester City have sold young players for more than £150million in the last three years.
‘You can recognise it also in results. The English teams are reaching Under 17 and Under 19 finals.’
Wales international Rabbi Matondo is the latest to leave City’s academy for germany, joining schalke for £9.6m last week at the age of 18.
Chelsea rejected a £35m offer last month from Bayern Munich for teenage striker Callum hudson-Odoi.
Others on loan in the Bundesliga include Arsenal’s Reiss nelson at hoffenheim and Emile smith Rowe at RB leipzig.
nelson and sancho, close friends from their days playing schoolboys football in southwark, will meet tomorrow when their teams clash in Dortmund.
‘We go way back,’ said sancho. ‘We used to play with each other in youth games and that’s how we really got close, helping each other, grab a ball and play with friends in the cages.
‘it will be very nice to stand on the pitch with him. i hope we get that opportunity, it will be a nice memory for our families as well, coming from the same area and hopefully being proud of us.’
sancho admits he has become a pioneer for a new generation trading the Premier league for the promise of more game time in germany.
‘They are probably giving it a thought now,’ said sancho.
‘i feel like young players are looking to go away because they are seeing my success, but it’s not easy. People think that because i am doing so well, but everyone’s journey is different. Mine was just to come out here and to work on me.
‘i felt at the time i needed something different. Borussia Dortmund were the club i chose.
‘i thought, “This will be my new home and i’ll work very hard to prove myself”.’