Jadon Sancho’s Rocky Road at Manchester United: A Tale of Frustration and Missed Opportunities
It’s perplexing why Jadon Sancho, the former Borussia Dortmund star, remains on the sidelines at Old Trafford, especially with his potential to outshine struggling teammates.
“This club needs good players, and one thing is for sure: Jadon is a terribly good player,” said Erik ten Hag before Manchester United’s pre-season win over Rangers in July. “I hope that the click still comes and that he will contribute to our success.” Ten Hag also insisted he had “drawn a line” after tensions arose.
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However, Sancho’s situation took a drastic turn when he was loaned back to Borussia Dortmund after publicly criticizing Ten Hag at the start of the 2023-2024 season. During his six months at BVB, Sancho reminded everyone of his exceptional talent, a performance that should have earned him a fresh start at Old Trafford, where he is still under contract until 2026.
Despite this, Sancho has yet to integrate into the United squad. The 24-year-old wasn’t even on the bench for United’s opening Premier League games against Fulham and Brighton, fueling further speculation about his future.
While Manchester United narrowly beat Fulham, their 2-1 defeat at the Amex Stadium raised serious questions about Ten Hag’s tactics. Sancho could have provided much-needed quality in the final third, something Marcus Rashford has struggled with.
Sancho has undeniably failed to meet expectations since his £73m ($96m) move to United in 2021, but he deserves better. How can Rashford be a surefire starter when he contributes so little? Sancho has every right to feel betrayed by Ten Hag after the promise of a fresh start faded so quickly and would be wise to force a move before the summer window closes.
Sancho likely realized his fate when Ten Hag chose to start Rashford at left-back against Manchester City in the Community Shield final. Rashford missed several key chances before being replaced by Sancho in the 83rd minute—too late for the former Dortmund star to make a real impact. Sancho looked uneasy as he stepped up to take a penalty, which was inevitably saved by Ederson.
City ultimately won, and Sancho was unfairly cast as the villain. Surprisingly, Ten Hag defended him, saying, “I had no doubts about him. He’s a very good penalty-taker and today he missed, but that’s part of the game. I am sure in the future he will take penalties.”
Unfortunately, Sancho suffered an ear injury but was still available for selection for United’s season opener against Fulham. “He could play, but we made the choice. We preferred [to have] others on the bench. But that can change. It will change,” Ten Hag explained when asked about Sancho’s absence.
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“We can’t play everyone the same; you see today how important the subs are. Sometimes it’s frustrating for the player, but it’s about the team, the club. There will be more players in this position, we expect them to fight for the club.”
Sancho traveled to Brighton but was once again excluded from the final 20-man squad. “I had a choice to make,” Ten Hag told TNT Sport. “We had some issues; we need a full squad. He’s one of them and needs to compete for his position.”
It’s clear that Ten Hag’s messages have been mixed. The Manchester United manager seems to harbor “doubts” about Sancho, or perhaps there’s lingering tension after their explosive disagreement
