Erik ten Hag is pushing for Jadon Sancho to be sold in January after raising concerns that the attacker is negatively influencing his team-mates.
Sancho was banished from Manchester United‘s first-team after accusing Ten Hag of not being truthful about the reasons behind his absence from the squad for the clash with Arsenal last month.
The Red Devils boss had claimed it was due to poor performances from Sancho in training sessions leading up to the defeat at the Gunners. Sancho hit back, insisting that Ten Hag was avoiding telling the full truth on the matter. This resulted to his exile from all first-team areas at the club’s Carrington training ground.
With no sign that the Englishman is willing to apologise to Ten Hag, the United boss is now moving to shift Sancho out of Old Trafford. The Red Devils will look to offload the winger in the January transfer window according to reports.
Ten Hag is refusing to back down from his demand that Sancho apologise for his public call-out of the Dutchman. As well as lacklustre efforts in training and persistent lateness, Ten Hag is also concerned about Sancho’s influence on his team-mates.
Though that is denied by sources close to Sancho, Ten Hag is said to believe that the attitude of United’s players has improved since the attacker was exiled. United are willing to subsidise his £300,000 per week wages if they are able to agree a loan move in January.
A number of clubs have been linked, though so far United’s £60million valuation of the 23-year-old has proved to be an obstacle. In a sign that the relationship has totally broken down, the club’s hierarchy are not pushing for Sancho’s reintegration over the international break.
United are set to make a huge loss on the £73m they paid for him in the summer of 2021. Ten Hag has consistently made his stance clear and reiterated before both the win over Brentford and the defeat to Brighton that nothing had changed.
He said before the clash with Brentford: “Nothing has changed. He (Sancho) isn’t available. So I have no comment on that. If he was available, then we would report it.”
Ten Hag previously commented before the visit of the Seagulls: “He is not available, so he can’t contribute to our performance and our result, so I block it. I am always honest. You have to keep things inside [the club], but you can’t”.
“When I am asked the question, I will be honest. Strict lines is the point, is what the club asked me for because there was no good culture before last season – so to set some good standards, that is what I did. That is my job, to control the standards.
“It has never been when someone makes one mistake. It is a whole process before you come to a certain outcome about strict lines. If staff, players or whoever, if there is a structure to cross lines you have to be strong, absolutely.”