Pranav Nair
Al Ettifaq have failed with a bid to sign Manchester United star Jadon Sancho
According to The Daily Mail, Saudi Arabian Pro League side Al Ettifaq have failed in their pursuit to land Manchester United star Jadon Sancho in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The English window might have already closed but there is still time left for Saudi Arabian sides to bring in players. A punt appeared to have been made to sign Sancho but that has now fallen apart.
The 23-year-old’s long-term future at the club is now in question following the series of events that followed the Red Devils’ late capitulation against Arsenal at The Emirates.
Sancho was not part of the travelling side’s matchday squad and manager Erik ten Hag revealed that his exclusion had to do with the performances in training.
The winger was having none of it and took to social media to hit back at Ten Hag, claiming he is often the sacrificial lamb. The reaction has not gone down well with a section of the supporters and media either.
This altercation called into question Sancho’s future, an opportunity that Al Ettifaq were keen to exploit. While the player too appeared keen to make the move, Manchester United’s terms proved to be too much for them to accept.
The Red Devils were ready to offload Sancho but wanted a clause in the deal that would make it obligatory for the Middle East side to buy the player for £50 million. Al Ettifaq are not one of the four state-backed clubs in the Saudi Pro League and surely the amount is beyond their means.
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With Sancho now increasingly likely to stay on at Old Trafford, the Red Devils are left with retaining a player who is unhappy and has bad blood now with the gaffer. With Antony also finding himself on the wrong side of the law, it has not been a happy week for the club as far as their wingers are concerned.
Questions also need to be asked of Ten Hag’s man management skills. Having seen what happened with Cristiano Ronaldo, the Dutchman should know how to deal better with his players while also getting the best out of them on and off the field. In that aspect, the Man United boss sorely lags behind the likes of his illustrious peers.
