Jadon Sancho’s Man Utd exit decision ‘down to Erik ten Hag’ as Aston Villa lurk

Sancho has endured a tough time since his £70million transfer from Borussia Dortmund two years ago. Unable to replicate the productive form he showed in Germany, the 23-year-old is no longer considered a regular starter at Old Trafford. 

Ten Hag opted to exclude Sancho from the first-team squad during the World Cup break. The former Manchester City prospect instead trained alone with an individual coach. 

It was a bid to boost the player’s confidence and form. The unorthodox ploy appeared to work, with Sancho’s performances improving in the second half of the campaign.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Sancho ‘appreciated’ Ten Hag’s treatment and empathy during his tough time. He now wants to fight for his place at Old Trafford this season. 

Speaking to The United Stand Podcast, the journalist claimed Sancho wants to stay because of Ten Hag. Despite reported interest from Aston Villa, Tottenham and former club Dortmund, Ten Hag seems keen for Sancho to stay. 

The Dutchman said of Sancho in pre-season: “The Bundesliga is perfect preparation for the Premier League. 

“I saw many games at Dortmund and Jadon is not such a different player as he is here. He has to get more consistency in his performance – but he has to do it at a higher level.”

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are ‘considering’ a move for Sancho late in the transfer window. The Villans have already added to the wide options this summer with the signing of Moussa Diaby from Bayern Leverkusen. 

Ten Hag is yet to find a suitable position for Sancho to earn regular minutes. Upon his return to first-team action at the start of 2023, the United boss often used the star as a No 10. 

That is different to the role Sancho was brought in to play. Having spent most of his formative years as a winger, it was widely expected that he would occupy the opposite wing to Rashford for years to come. 

But that has not materialised and the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Antony have all overtaken Sancho in the pecking order. Ten Hag even used him as a striker in pre-season, but Rasmus Hojlund’s arrival means that is unlikely to become a regular occurrence.