Erik ten Hag is considering starting Jadon Sancho as Manchester United’s central striker for the start of the season.
United last year summer signing Rasmus Hojlund out for six weeks due to a hamstring injury he picked up against Arsenal, Sancho has been trialed as the No. 9 in recent friendlies.
Ten Hag may opt for Sancho over new signing Joshua Zirkzee for the Community Shield against Manchester City and the Premier League opener against Fulham.
Ten Hag asked whether Sancho could start up front against City at Wembley.
He said:
“Yes, otherwise we wouldn’t play with him there.”
“That is what we can do if we don’t have the availability of Rasmus, but of course, Joshua Zirkzee, he is coming in,
he has started training, but also consider that he is not so long in training, so that will take time, and he has to adapt to English football and our way of playing as well.
“There is also, of course, Jadon, as a striker. We know he can play in wide areas, but also as a false striker, he’s an option.”
Zirkzee, a £36.5 million signing from Bologna, is yet to train with the squad after returning to Carrington after his summer break rather than join the American tour.
Sancho, back at United after spending the second half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, has not scored a competitive goal for the club since May 2023.
Marcus Rashford is another option to fill the void left by Hojlund, but Ten Hag hinted the England forward will stay in his usual role on the left.
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He continues:
“I think that Marcus has done it [played as a striker] before and he can do it, and it’s definitely an option.”
“But I think he is most productive from the left, starting wide and coming inside.
So when he can arrive there, he is most effective. We have other options. We have Bruno Fernandes who can play as a striker as well.”
United struggled for goals last season, finding the net 57 times in the Premier League to finish the campaign as the joint-lowest scorers in the top half.
Ten Hag’s team also missed chances in the defeat to Liverpool in South Carolina on Saturday with Sancho, Rashford, Scott McTominay and Mason Mount all guilty of missing good opportunities.
“Liverpool played well and took their chances,” said Ten Hag.
“We also created good chances, but we didn’t take them. We need to be more clinical there and efficient.
“I think in the end it’s like fatigue. We have been here [in the U.S.] for 12 or 13 days and, in the end, it was a tough game and maybe you miss the freshness and don’t have the power to be clinical.”
Manchester United will clash with Manchester City in the Community Shield next weekend, seeking to repeat their FA Cup final heroics.
Ten Hag’s men will be hungry for another win against their local rivals, looking to make a statement at the start of the new season.
