Erik ten Hag explains decision to keep Jadon Sancho out of Manchester United squad
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has explained attacker Jadon Sancho's omission from the squad. The 24-year-old returned to Old Trafford this summer after spending the second half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund.
Sancho had infamously fallen out of favour with Ten Hag a year back following a public bust-up. The player accused the boss of making him a scapegoat after Ten Hag had questioned Sancho's attitude in training as the reason for not making a matchday squad.
The Englishman was subsequently banished from the first-team environment before being loaned out in January to his former club BvB for the rest of the season. He has since returned to Old Trafford and has mended fences with his boss.
Sancho featured in the FA Community Shield shootout loss to Manchester City. But he wasn't in the squad for the 1-0 home win last weekend over Fulham in their Premier League opener and hasn't made the bench for the away game with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday (August 24).
Ten Hag explained Sancho's omission (as per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano):
“I had a choice to make. We had some issues. We need a full squad. He's one of them and needs to compete for his position”.
MEN has reported that the Red Devils could ship out Sancho - permanently or on loan - before the summer transfer window closes, with The Athletic (via MEN) reported Juventus as one of the potential suitors.
How has Jadon Sancho fared at Manchester United?
Jadon Sancho has had an underwhelming stint at Manchester United since arriving at the Premier League giants from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021.
The 24-year-old has played 83 times across competitions, contributing 12 goals and six assists. Nine of those goals and all six assists have come in 58 games in the Premier League, where United finished eighth last season, their worst finish in the EPL era.
Playing his first game for United in over a year, Sancho came on for the final seven minutes of the City clash in the Community Shield. After Alejandro Garnacho's 82nd-minute opener was cancelled out by City's Bernardo Silva seven minutes later, penalties ensued.
There, United squandered a 3-1 lead, with Sancho and Jonny Evans missing from the spot as the Red Devils went down 7-6 as City avoided joining United as the only team to lose four straight Community Shields.