'You can see' - Dortmund chief makes Jadon Sancho admission on Manchester United absence

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl has compared Jadon Sancho's extended absence at Manchester United this season with that of a player who suffers an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Sancho scored his first goal since returning to Dortmund in the January transfer window on Saturday, helping them beat Werder Bremen 2-1 away from home. Netting what turned out to be the winner, the winger scored an excellent solo goal, coming inside off the left flank and tucking away a cool finish.

The 23-year-old has struggled to live up to expectations since making the switch back to Germany, requiring time to get back up to speed. Last month, head coach Edin Terzic warned Sancho he was capable of better.

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Sancho, prior to making his second Dortmund debut on January 13, had not played in any capacity since August 26. He was frozen-out by United manager Erik ten Hag at the beginning of September after accusing the Dutchman of lying about his absence against Arsenal on September 3.

Dortmund chief Kehl has now likened Sancho's lengthy absence to that of a player who had sustained an ACL injury, making it clear that it was always going to take the England international time to get back up to speed.

"Doing something like that, you can of course see what a great footballer he is," said Kehl, as quoted by Goal.com. "You can see how he can make a difference, especially in one-on-one situations.

"Everyone is happy for Jadon because they saw how hard he was working and how willing he was to help the team. Goals help. He's had one or two assists