Manchester United reportedly told Jadon Sancho that he would need to take a pay cut if he was to join the club from Borussia Dortmund this summer.
The Red Devils conducted what was ultimately a doomed summer-long pursuit of the 20-year-old after identifying him as their number one transfer target.
Dortmund refused to budge on their £108m asking price for the winger and also stuck to their guns after insisting that he would not be sold following their self-imposed August 10 deadline.
The Athletic reports that United finally admitted defeat in their chase after calculating that the deal would cost them €250m (£227.9m).
The report claims that United's initial proposal would have seen Sancho earn less per week than he currently does at Dortmund, before raising their offer to match his Dortmund salary with the potential for a slight increase through performance-related bonuses.
Sancho's representatives gave both proposals short shrift, having expected an offer closer to the £250,000-a-week which Paul Pogba earns at Old Trafford.
Including agents' fees, United reportedly worked out that it would cost around £228m to complete a deal for the England international - a sum they were unwilling to meet in the post-coronavirus market.
The Red Devils eventually brought in Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and Facundo Pellistri on deadline day, having switched their attention away from Sancho.
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