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How 13 football reunions played out as Jadon Sancho escapes Man Utd with Dortmund return
Jadon Sancho has escaped his Manchester United misery by joining former club Dortmund on loan until the end of the season. With that in mind, let's look at 13 other times footballers returned 'home'
The phrase 'never look back' isn't typically in a footballer's dictionary - because they bloody love a reunion.
After two-and-a-half years in Red Devil hell, Jadon Sancho has scurried back to the comforting arms of Borussia Dortmund, the club where he first made his name on the European stage. The England man has joined on a six-month loan in a bid to rejuvenate his crumbling career following his messy falling out with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag at the start of the season.
Sancho's Dortmund homecoming is little surprise given how often top-level footballers return to their old stomping grounds, either for one last heroic hurrah or in a desperate attempt to rekindle the glory days. Here, Daily Star Sport runs through 13 memorable football reunions and how each player fared.
Thierry Henry was Arsenal's knight in shining armour during his legendary first stint at the club, so it was only natural his second stint had both a storybook beginning and end.
The Frenchman, who netted 226 goals for the Gunners between 1999 and 2007, re-joined Arsene Wenger's side on a two-month loan in January 2012, and scored a memorable winner against Leeds on his (second) debut.
He also scored a stoppage-time winner against Sunderland on his final appearance for the team before returning to parent club New York Bulls. His return, while brief, was simply fantastique.
Didier Drogba bookended his first Chelsea spell in Hollywood fashion, by scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League final, but that didn't stop him doing an Henry and re-joining the club a few years later.
He was drafted in as cover for Diego Costa in 2014 and spent the vast majority of the season in an impact sub role, but still bagged key goals in big games to help the Blues seal the Premier League title.
The Ivorian striker, who famously scored 10 goals in 10 career finals, left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, but went out, just as he did in 2012, a champion.
Gareth Bale re-joined Tottenham on loan in 2020, seven years after his £86million move from White Hart Lane to Real Madrid.
The Welsh winger, who won the PFA Player of the Year award twice during his first Spurs spell, had been an outcast at the Bernabeu for the best part of the previous two years, but rediscovered some form on his return to the Premier League.
He bagged 16 goals in 34 games, scoring the 16th one with his last ever touch for Tottenham on the final day of the season. Not a bad way to bow out.
Wayne Rooney infamously kissed the Man United badge in front of the Everton fans after scoring against his former club in 2007, but all was forgiven by the time he re-signed for the Toffees a decade later.
His return to Goodison Park coincided with an alarming dip in form for the team, and despite netting 10 Premier League goals, Rooney's impact wasn't anywhere near what fans were expecting.
The ex-England skipper decided to cut his reunion short at the end of the season and left for MLS outfit DC United.
Daily Star Sunday
Jadon Sancho has escaped his Manchester United misery by joining former club Dortmund on loan until the end of the season. With that in mind, let's look at 13 other times footballers returned 'home'
The phrase 'never look back' isn't typically in a footballer's dictionary - because they bloody love a reunion.
After two-and-a-half years in Red Devil hell, Jadon Sancho has scurried back to the comforting arms of Borussia Dortmund, the club where he first made his name on the European stage. The England man has joined on a six-month loan in a bid to rejuvenate his crumbling career following his messy falling out with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag at the start of the season.
Sancho's Dortmund homecoming is little surprise given how often top-level footballers return to their old stomping grounds, either for one last heroic hurrah or in a desperate attempt to rekindle the glory days. Here, Daily Star Sport runs through 13 memorable football reunions and how each player fared.
Thierry Henry was Arsenal's knight in shining armour during his legendary first stint at the club, so it was only natural his second stint had both a storybook beginning and end.
The Frenchman, who netted 226 goals for the Gunners between 1999 and 2007, re-joined Arsene Wenger's side on a two-month loan in January 2012, and scored a memorable winner against Leeds on his (second) debut.
He also scored a stoppage-time winner against Sunderland on his final appearance for the team before returning to parent club New York Bulls. His return, while brief, was simply fantastique.
Didier Drogba bookended his first Chelsea spell in Hollywood fashion, by scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League final, but that didn't stop him doing an Henry and re-joining the club a few years later.
He was drafted in as cover for Diego Costa in 2014 and spent the vast majority of the season in an impact sub role, but still bagged key goals in big games to help the Blues seal the Premier League title.
The Ivorian striker, who famously scored 10 goals in 10 career finals, left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, but went out, just as he did in 2012, a champion.
Gareth Bale re-joined Tottenham on loan in 2020, seven years after his £86million move from White Hart Lane to Real Madrid.
The Welsh winger, who won the PFA Player of the Year award twice during his first Spurs spell, had been an outcast at the Bernabeu for the best part of the previous two years, but rediscovered some form on his return to the Premier League.
He bagged 16 goals in 34 games, scoring the 16th one with his last ever touch for Tottenham on the final day of the season. Not a bad way to bow out.
Wayne Rooney infamously kissed the Man United badge in front of the Everton fans after scoring against his former club in 2007, but all was forgiven by the time he re-signed for the Toffees a decade later.
His return to Goodison Park coincided with an alarming dip in form for the team, and despite netting 10 Premier League goals, Rooney's impact wasn't anywhere near what fans were expecting.
The ex-England skipper decided to cut his reunion short at the end of the season and left for MLS outfit DC United.
Daily Star Sunday