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Jadon Sancho’s position at Manchester United is quite unique.
Thought by many to have kicked his last ball for the club, the position now is that could still be the case, but also that he could be like a new star signing, the return of the prodigal son, ready to finally fulfil the potential that prompted United to spend 18 months and €85 million on him.
Juventus and others are hoping for a loan deal for Sancho again this season, but that is unlikely to happen. If reports are to be believed, the situation is clear: pay £40 million or he stays.
It’s logical from Ineos; as manager Erik ten Hag and the player have patched up their differences, he is an asset. Imagine him on form, playing like he has done for Borussia Dortmund. Why loan him out?
But with money tight and other positions in desperate need of strengthening, £40 million would go a long way to plugging those other gaps, and United would be left with four capable wingers in Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Amad Diallo and Antony. Well, three capable wingers plus Antony …
For the fans, welcoming Sancho back is a little like waiting for VAR before truly being able to celebrate a goal. We think we’ve got something to be excited about, but it could be ripped back away from us at the last minute, so we’re not sure. PSG, for example, are rumoured to have him on a 3-man shortlist to replace Kylian Mbappe.
So we have to hold back on killing the fatted calf, just for now.
But is Sancho himself losing any sleep over this? Clearly not. According to The Telegraph, the 24 year old is as skilled a slumberer as he is a winger.
According to the outlet, “United have been taking every efforts to help their players’ combat jet lag in the US but one person who seems to have been untroubled by the disruption to sleep patterns caused by the eight-hour time difference is Jadon Sancho.
“The England forward … managed to sleep for the majority of the 11-hour flight over to Los Angeles from Manchester and then got an uninterrupted night’s rest once in his room at the SLS in Beverly Hills.”
This strange little report could suggest that the former City academy star is relaxed and content with the world, or that he is disconnected from his teammates and dreaming of being elsewhere. Or, as is most likely the case, it means absolutely nothing at all.
One thing that might tell us more is whether Ten Hag starts Sancho against Arsenal later tonight. With competition from Marcus Rashford, Amad and Antony, starting Sancho would surely be a statement of his perceived importance to the manager and to the squad. Bringing him on as a sub instead will leave that VAR decision pending a while longer.
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