Erik ten Hag has finally addressed his conflict with Jadon Sancho, yet he remains uncertain about the winger’s future at Manchester United. Despite Sancho’s recent return to full-time training, Ten Hag has avoided confirming whether the 24-year-old will have a long-term role in the squad.
Sancho, who spent the latter part of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, resumed training at Carrington last week. Positive discussions between Ten Hag and Sancho have allowed both parties to move past their previous disagreements. This is the first time in ten months that Sancho has been allowed to train with United’s senior squad.
However, Sancho was not included in the squad that traveled to Norway for a pre-season friendly against Rosenborg, which resulted in a surprising 1-0 defeat for United. When questioned about Sancho’s future, Ten Hag emphasized that their past issues are resolved but did not guarantee Sancho’s continued presence in the team.
Ten Hag said, “As we said, we’ve drawn the line. Manchester United needs good players and Jadon is a good player. We have drawn that line and we move on.” When pressed further about whether Sancho would have a fresh start, he reiterated, “We’ve drawn the line. We move on.”
Sancho’s fallout with Ten Hag last season led to his isolation from the squad. The conflict escalated when Sancho publicly disputed Ten Hag’s reasoning for his exclusion from the matchday squad in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal.
While Ten Hag cited poor training performances, Sancho accused the manager of scapegoating him. Sancho’s refusal to apologize led to his loan to Borussia Dortmund, where he helped the team reach the Champions League final at Wembley, though they did not pursue a permanent transfer.
As United aims to improve their pre-season form, Ten Hag hopes reintegrating key players like Sancho will strengthen the team. The defeat to Rosenborg underscored the need for improvement, as United faced 22 shots in the match. Sancho, along with five other players, was left behind, which frustrated Ten Hag despite the use of a mostly youthful squad.
Reflecting on the performance, Ten Hag remarked, “We can talk and make good on everything that was bad, but I am not that guy. I have seen that this is not the standard for top football.” In response to the disappointing first half, Ten Hag made significant changes, bringing in academy players for the second half.
Looking ahead, Manchester United is set to play against Rangers at Murrayfield on Saturday before embarking on a tour of the United States as part of their pre-season preparations. The next few weeks will be crucial for Ten Hag to finalize his squad and address any remaining issues, including Sancho’s role.
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