Sancho in illustrious company after another eye-catching Dortmund display

Jason Sancho can do no wrong at the moment after netting twice against Hertha Berlin on Saturday. It’s been a whirlwind start to the season for the Borussia Dortmund teenager, who even earned his senior England debut earlier this month. Sancho has been devastating off the bench and is now starting to consolidate a starting berth for Dortmund.

On his third league start of the season, Sancho twice put Dortmund in the lead against Hertha only for former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou to peg the Bundesliga leaders back. Sancho has scored or assisted 10 league goals this season, with seven of those coming off the bench, becoming the first English player in Europe’s top five leagues to reach the landmark. He is only 18.

Sancho is only one of eight players that has hit double figures, with the likes of Dimitri Payet, Florian Thauvin, Callum Wilson and Krzysztof Piatek all on nine. The list of players to have scored or assisted 10 goals in Europe’s top five leagues reads as follows: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe (both 12), Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nicolas Pepe (all 11), Eden Hazard, Sebastien Haller and Sancho (all 10).

Sancho is in red hot form and it’s even more impressive that he has managed to sustain it, rather than producing great displays in one or two matches. The Dortmund teenager has scored or assisted in five Bundesliga games in a row and has also contributed to two goals in as many Champions League games during that run, scoring his first European goal against Atletico Madrid in midweek.

Many thought Sancho’s decision to turn down a huge contract from Manchester City to join Dortmund was brash but the youngster has arguably set a precedent many other young English players should follow. Earning regular first-team football in the Premier League is extremely difficult for any young English player but Sancho is reaping all of the benefits at Dortmund.

Dortmund have hit the jackpot with Sancho. The likes of Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly already interested in prising Sancho back to England and, after securing Sancho’s future until 2022 at the start of the month, Lucien Favre’s side hold all the cards.