Pranav Nair
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is keen to put the Jadon Sancho discussion behind him
Around 42% of marriages in the UK end in divorce and the latest one on that route could be between Manchester United and Jadon Sancho. Much was expected of the Englishman when he moved to Old Trafford in 2021 but his spell at the Threate of Dreams has been nothing short of a nightmare.
The public spat with Erik ten Hag earlier this season more or less saw the player consigned to the sidelines. His refusal to apologise to the manager was the final straw and the Red Devils have now shipped him off to Borussia Dortmund (on loan).
Sancho appears far more happier in Germany than he was at United and it shows. The 24-year-old continued from where he left off at the Westfalenstadion, providing an assist in Dortmund’s 3-0 win away to Darmstadt.
"Had he publicly apologised to you, would there have been a different outcome?"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 14, 2024
Erik ten Hag answers questions on what went wrong for Jadon Sancho at Manchester United 🔴 pic.twitter.com/WdhHT1mxpT
The winger’s ability was never in doubt and he now appears to be in a place where he can freely express himself. One can only imagine what could have been had the Red Devils also coaxed the best out of their English international.
Speaking on the issue (Sky Sports via X), Ten Hag did not appear keen to tackle the Sancho issue head-on. One cannot blame the Dutchman either given that his stance on the topic was always pretty clear- Apologise first.
The Red Devils boss was asked if things could have turned out differently had the player just put his head done and apologised. Ten Hag failed to give a clear answer but also suggested that the player’s poor form also played a role in the decision.
“He knows what he should do, we have made that clear. It was also clear and obvious about his performance so let us stop this discussion.”
Ten Hag also commented on Sancho’s struggles since he joined United, prior to the Dutchman’s arrival at the club. A run of eight goals and six assists in 82 appearances is a poor return for a player who had the world at his feet.
For now, Ten Hag is right to ask that discussions on the topic reach an end. After all, Sancho is a Dortmund player, at least until the summer. What plans United have for him once he returns from loan remains to be seen.
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While Ten Hag has the right to stick to his principles, the way he has handled the Sancho situation deserves closer scrutiny. Surely better management skills would have helped him settle the issue in a more amicable fashion, helping United get the best out of a player they spent a fortune on.
The public spat has seen him end up with as much egg on his face as Sancho. The better the player performs at Dortmund, the more reasons people will have to question Ten Hga’s man-management skills.
