The relations between Manchester United and Jadon Sancho are showing no signs of thawing. The club are standing by Erik ten Hag’s comments about Sancho’s performances in training – but the player is not going to back down either.
Sources close to the Sancho camp admitted to i that they feel the player has not been given a fair ride by Ten Hag this season – the reason he felt compelled to respond with his own statement on Sunday night after his manager had accused him of underperforming in training.
While Sancho’s representatives are aware the 23-year-old is hardly in blistering form, they believe other forward options who are struggling just as much as Sancho keep “getting a game very week”.
Club sources said there is “nothing more to add” to Ten Hag’s surprise revelation after United’s last gasp defeat at Arsenal that Sancho had been omitted due to his disappointing efforts at Carrington.
And the club fully supports the manager, with sources saying disciplinary action could be brought against Sancho after his public response declaring he feels like a “scapegoat”, while dismissing suggestions his training performance levels had dropped off.
Such a fallout is exactly what the player and his struggling side do not need.
Sancho was coveted for over two years by United before signing for the club, to much fanfare, in 2021.
The forward has been unable to hold down a first-team spot in a variety of positions ever since, taking an extended break last season for “physical and mental health” reasons.
An insider working with the player insists Sancho is grateful to Ten Hag for giving him that time to adjust, but now the feeling is that the time for him, with other strike options floundering, to be given an extended opportunity in the first team is nigh.
A breakthrough in Sancho’s United struggles appeared to come during pre-season, when he looked at home in a No 10 position in several friendlies, a role Ten Hag has previously said suits the fleet-footed star’s playing style.
Four games into the new campaign and 77 minutes spread across three substitute appearances is all Sancho has to show for his efforts.
One of the players the Sancho camp perhaps are alluding to is Brazilian £100m signing Antony, who has started all four of United’s games so far this term, without registering a single goal or assist, while only creating eight chances in those four matches from a wide forward position.
Such a poor output comes after an equally unflattering first season in England last campaign. Supporters have become frustrated with the Brazilian’s propensity to cut inside onto his favoured left foot – a move many defenders have been able to see coming.
The other floundering forward at the club is Anthony Martial – the perennial frustrater. United have tried to offload the Frenchman on several occasions, but he has started twice this season already, to limited success – in three appearances, he has mustered two shots at goal, in total.
Martial possesses bounds of ability, but despite threatening on several occasions to be frontline striker United have been looking for through the middle, we are yet to see the once world’s most expensive teenager – he is into his ninth season in Manchester – fulfil his potential.
Another obstacle in Sancho’s way is the one player who has not dropped off this season in United’s jittery start to the new campaign – captain Bruno Fernandes. The creative No 10 role is essentially his to lose.
For now, Sancho is best focusing on changing his manager’s mind. It is not the first time the England international has been accused of similar ill-discipline on the training ground.
Sancho himself admitted he had trouble with timekeeping when turning up late for Borussia Dortmund training in 2019 and was fined by the club a year later for returning from England duty late.
Reports also claimed timekeeping has also been a problem for Sancho when on England duty. He has not been called up by Gareth Southgate for any squad since 2021.
And after the loss at Arsenal, Ten Hag said, when asked whether Sancho was injured: “Jadon, on his performances in training we did not select him.”
It prompted the following response on social media a few hours later from Sancho: “Please don’t believe everything you read! I have conducted myself in training very well this week.
“I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t get into, I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!”
Ten Hag has also shown he is not afraid to be the disciplinarian when called upon. Even a player of Cristiano Ronaldo’s gravitas was dealt with firmly by the Dutchman, who would not tolerate the superstar’s petulant behaviour and swiftly oversaw his exit from Old Trafford.
Whatever the issues, however, they need resolving. There is undoubtedly a potentially game-changing player in there somewhere, it is just we are yet to see it on these shores regularly enough.
If anyone can resolve problems with application, it is Ten Hag. It is just whether he has the patience to work with a player he is yet to develop even so much as a working relationship with.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/OcZIxGe
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