Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag finally speak on Jadon Sancho future at Manchester United to return back to Old Trafford or Not?

Erik ten Hag has finally addressed his ongoing conflict with Jadon Sancho but remains non-committal about the winger’s long-term prospects at Manchester United. Despite Sancho’s return to regular training, Ten Hag has not confirmed if the 24-year-old will remain a permanent fixture in the team.

Sancho, who spent the latter part of the previous season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, started training at Carrington again last week. Positive conversations between the player and manager have led to a mutual decision to move past their previous disagreements. This is the first time in ten months that Sancho has been allowed to train with the senior squad at Manchester United.

However, Sancho did not travel with the team to Norway for a pre-season friendly against Rosenborg, a game that ended in a surprising 1-0 loss for United. When questioned about Sancho’s future, Ten Hag confirmed that their past issues are resolved but did not guarantee Sancho’s continued presence in the team.

Ten Hag commented, “As stated, we have moved on. Manchester United requires good players, and Jadon is a good player. We have put the past behind us and are moving forward.” But when asked about Sancho’s fresh start, he reiterated, “We’ve moved on.”

The fallout between Sancho and Ten Hag last season led to Sancho being sidelined. The conflict intensified when Sancho publicly challenged Ten Hag’s reasoning for his exclusion from the squad during a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal. While Ten Hag blamed poor training performances, Sancho accused the manager of making him a scapegoat. Sancho’s refusal to apologize resulted in his loan to Borussia Dortmund, where he played a role in their run to the Champions League final at Wembley, although Dortmund did not pursue a permanent transfer.

As United aim to improve their pre-season form, Ten Hag hopes that reintegrating key players like Sancho will enhance the team’s performance. The defeat to Rosenborg highlighted the need for improvement, with the team facing 22 shots during the match. Sancho, along with five other players, was left behind, which frustrated Ten Hag despite fielding a mostly youthful squad.

Reflecting on the match, Ten Hag said, “We can talk and address everything that went wrong, but I am not that type of person. This performance is not the standard for top football.” In response to the disappointing first half, Ten Hag made significant changes by bringing in academy players for the second half.

Looking ahead, Manchester United will face Rangers at Murrayfield on Saturday before heading to the United States for their pre-season tour. The next few weeks are crucial for Ten Hag as he finalizes his squad and addresses lingering issues, including Jadon Sancho’s role.