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Jadon Sancho’s future at Manchester United appears increasingly in doubt after he was banned from using all first-team facilities at the club’s Carrington training ground amid his ongoing feud with manager Erik ten Hag.
The United winger has been exiled from the Dutchman’s squad following a public spat in the aftermath of United’s 3-1 loss against Arsenal earlier this month.
Ten Hag said in his post-match press conference he had left Sancho out of the United squad for the trip to the Emirates ‘on his performances in training’.
Sancho has since deleted the social media post and on Tuesday deactivated his Instagram account.
Jadon Sancho has been banned from using all first-team facilities at the Manchester United’s Carrington training ground as his feud with Erik ten Hag continues
The Dutchman has demanded an apology from Sancho, who claimed he was made a scapegoat after being dropped for the game against Arsenal earlier this month
If Ten Hag’s track record is anything to go by, Sancho may have picked a fight with the wrong manager.
The Dutchman has already shown himself to be absolutely ruthless with players who cross him and looks determined to maintain his track record with the England international.
A £73million signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, Sancho has been largely underwhelming at United, with a return of just 12 goals and six assists in 82 appearances in all competitions.
Here, Mail Sport explores Sancho’s options as he looks to resurrect his career.
Stay and fight for his place
Unlikely as it may seem, Sancho could still have a future at United. While he’s been largely underwhelming in his two seasons at Old Trafford, it’s easy to forget he’s still only 23.
Only a few months ago, Ten Hag suggested Sancho wanted to enjoy his football after a difficult season.
‘At this moment he is in a very good vibe. He decides how he is, how his mood and vibe is,’ he said at the end of July.
‘He has a lot of energy, we have all seen that from the moment he came back. He wants to enjoy football and be successful.’
The glowing praise is nothing but a distant memory following the Dutchman’s public spat with the player and any hopes of Sancho playing for United again hinge on him apologising to Ten Hag, which he has steadfastly refused to do.
At the same time, the prospect of being frozen out until January and possibly marooned at the club until the end of the season may force a re-think from Sancho.
Any hopes of Sancho playing for United again hinge on him apologising to Ten Hag
Join the Saudi exodus
Sancho was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia earlier this month, which never materialised after Al-Ettifaq failed to meet United’s asking price.
As reported by Mail Sport, the club managed by Steven Gerrard made a bold attempt to bring in the winger on loan after completing deals to sign Jordan Henderson from Liverpool and Demarai Gray from Everton.
It’s understood that the Saudi Pro League club and United were in contact through intermediaries over Sancho who expressed an interest in moving to the Middle East.
Steven Gerrard tried to take Sancho on loan to Al-Ettifaq this summer but United blocked the move
But although United were prepared to let him join Ettifaq on loan for the rest of the season for free, the deal included an obligation to buy him for £50million which the Dammam-based club simply couldn’t afford.
A move to Saudi Arabia would be come with obvious financial rewards, but would Sancho agree to swap the Premier League for the Middle East at just 23?
We may well find out in January.
A reunion with Steve Cooper?
Nottingham Forest emerged as a surprise possible destination for Sancho earlier this month, according to the Manchester Evening News.
The 23-year-old played under Forest boss Steve Cooper for England Under-17 and a move to the City Ground may help Sancho rediscover some form.
At the same time, the England international’s wages would be prohibitive for Forest and the same can be said of the overwhelming majority of Premier League clubs who may be interested in offering him a way out of Old Trafford.
A nostalgic return to Dortmund?
Earlier this month, the Manchester Evening news suggested Sancho could return to Dortmund, two years after swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League.
If Sancho were to leave United, a move to Dortmund seems the most sensible scenario for him, as he would return to the club where he’s played the best football of his career.
The England international scored 50 goals and contributed to a further 64 in 137 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions, developing into one of the best players in the Bundesliga.
The England international scored 50 goals and contributed to a further 64 in 137 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions
Unlike Forest, Dortmund would provide Sancho with Champions League and a realistic chance of silverware.
But there are a number of factors that may derail this particular nostalgia-infused plot. For a start, Sancho would have to agree to a substantial pay cut to facilitate a return to the Westfalen Stadion.
Secondly, in Donyell Malen, Karim Adeyemi, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Julien Duranville, Dortmund aren’t short of options on the wings for now.
Reports in Germany on Tuesday said Dortmund were stalling over a possible move for the player due to concerns over his discipline.
Bild said Dortmund have reservations about bringing him back to the club as they are worried about his off-field activities dating back to his previous spell in Germany.
Their primary concern is they feel Sancho does not get enough sleep due to playing video games and being on his computer late at night.
Sancho also turned up to training late regularly – a worry that has also been raised at United – and he has been known to fly off in a private for a day or two at a time.
Have his contract terminated
This is arguably the most drastic option available to resolve the current impasse and one United may not be willing to pursue unless forced to do so.
In the scenario, the club and Sancho, who is under contract until 2026, would agree to part ways, but both parties would be financially worse off if they agreed to terminate his contract.
United would save money on wages, but not recoup a penny of the £73m they spent two years ago, while Sancho would wave goodbye to a lucrative salary.
A similar scenario would occur if United were to terminate the deal after deeming Sancho to have breached his contract.
