Jadon Sancho is open to a Manchester United return next season with Erik ten Hag’s future looking increasingly uncertain.
Sancho’s long-term Old Trafford career appeared to be all but over as he headed back to Borussia Dortmund on loan in January after failing to reconcile his differences with Ten Hag.
i understands, however, that Sancho is not giving up on his United career just yet. Should Ten Hag go in the summer and a new manager come in, sources close to the player insist he would be open to “starting again”.
As it stands, United are planning for next season with Ten Hag still behind the wheel of the Ineos revolution. Yet a continuation of the club’s poor form between now and the end of the season could force their hand and see the Dutchman’s two-year reign brought to an abrupt end.
With Sancho and Ten Hag’s relationship described as “irreparable” by insiders, it is felt the United manager’s departure is the only way an Old Trafford return could be feasible.
Sancho has not been named in a matchday squad since he took to social media to counter his manager’s claims he had been omitted from United’s September defeat to Arsenal due to a lack of application in training.
A long, tense standoff ensued, with Sancho told he would be training with United’s youth teams until he apologised – something that never materialised and hastened his loan departure.
Incoming technical director Jason Wilcox is understood to be more open to giving Sancho another chance.
The former head of Manchester City’s academy gave Sancho his youth-team debut – the 15-year-old scored twice inside five minutes – and he has spoken highly of the England international on several occasions. United continue to negotiate with Southampton to enable Wilcox to leave the south coast and make a Manchester return this summer.
It is believed that selling Sancho is still the club’s first choice.
In order to get their revamp of an underperforming United squad off the ground, Ineos are understood to be planning a fire sale, with Sancho one of several who could still command a reasonable fee.
Mason Greenwood is another who could bring in valuable millions, with Scott McTominay, Casemiro, Raphael Varane, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Antony on the list of players who could be moved on.
Sancho has not set the world alight back in Germany since joining on loan, scoring only twice across all competitions. Even at a reduced fee, Dortmund may not return with a cash offer in the close season as a result.
Should no other suitors present themselves, a United second coming could still be an option.
One player who has escaped being cast aside by Ten Hag is Alejandro Garnacho after he liked social media posts criticising the United manager’s decision to substitute him at the weekend.
Club sources have insisted the matter has been dealt with internally and they consider the case closed after Garnacho sent a “clear message” by swiftly removing the likes.