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Erik ten Hag is walking on thin ice as he continues to struggle to field a coherent and tactically astute side on a frequent basis.
Manchester United, who looked clueless in the final third in their 2-1 defeat to Fulham late in February, were outclassed in every area of the pitch against Manchester City over the weekend, succumbing to a 3-1 loss.
As things stand, Ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford remains uncertain and it won’t surprise many if he’s shown the exit door come the end of the season.
Any managerial change would have an impact on INEOS’ plans for the summer transfer window. However, if a report from Football Insider is to be believed, one thing is certain to happen: Jadon Sancho will be made available for sale this summer.
It’s claimed that Man United “fully intend” to cut ties with Sancho this summer irrespective of Ten Hag’s future in the red half of Manchester.
Even if new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe decides to appoint a new manager ahead of the new campaign, United will sanction a permanent departure for the Englishman, who’s currently at Borussia Dortmund.
The former City talent returned to Germany in a loan move in January after failing to repair his relationship with Ten Hag. The pair publicly fell out in September of 2023.
The idea of the player outlasting the manager may’ve crossed the minds of some Sancho well-wishers. However, the report suggests there’s no way back for the England international at his parent club.
First and foremost, the 23-year-old hasn’t exactly set things alight at Dortmund. He has only managed two assists in the Bundesliga so far.
Further, he’s one of the highest-earning players at the club. The Premier League giants are still paying around £150,000 of his £250,000-a-week salary, with Dortmund covering the rest.
United will have to sell assets to make new signings this summer. As such, selling Sancho will make plenty of sense, financially.
It is added the Mancunians will accept a “reasonable offer” for the player whom they signed by splashing £73m in 2021. He’s contracted to Chelsea until 2026.
