Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag left Jadon Sancho out of the squad to face Arsenal, with the England international angrily responding to comments about his training performances.
Jadon Sancho will push to leave Manchester United in January after crisis talks with Erik ten Hag failed to reach a resolution.
The England international, who was signed for £73 million back in 2021, has seen his relationship with the United boss break down following a public spat. Sancho was left out of the squad for United’s Premier League defeat at Arsenal last time out.
And following a back and forth, which took Ten Hag by surprise, the decision has been made for Sancho to seek a move. The Daily Star report that he will look to leave when the window reopens – possibly on loan – before securing a permanent exit next summer.
Ten Hag confirmed he was omitted from the squad that travelled to North London due to poor performances in training, telling reporters: “You have to reach the level every day at Manchester United. You can make choices in the front line, so in this game he wasn’t selected.”
The Dutchman had hoped his comments would spur on the former Borussia Dortmund star, only for Sancho to launch a public rebuttal on social media. In a statement which remains on the player’s public profile, he accused Ten Hag of scapegoating him for the club’s current issues.
He said: “Please don’t believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue. I have conducted myself in training very well this week. I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t go into, I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!
“All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team. I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and am grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge. I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!”
Mirror Football understands that Ten Hag has been taken aback by Sancho’s reaction and he was left dismayed at the player’s decision to take their issues public. The report from the Daily Star adds that the trust between the pair is now beyond repair, with player and manager unable to heal their fractured relationship.
Last season, Ten Hag opted to send Sancho to a tailored training programme, claiming he wasn’t in the “right fitness state” to turn out for United. He did return to the fold in the second half of last season, but has clearly left his manager unimpressed since returning in the summer.
And such is his standing within the current setup, his prospects for starting games haven’t been improved even in light of United delaying Antony’s return to Carrington. The Brazilian is facing allegations of assault from three women – all of which he vehemently denies.
But having been dropped by Brazil, he has now agreed to remain absent from his club for the time being. A statement released by United on Sunday reads: “Manchester United acknowledges the allegations made against Antony.
“Players who have not participated in international matches are due back in training on Monday. However, it has been agreed with Antony that he will delay his return until further notice in order to address the allegations.
“As a club we condemn acts of violence and abuse. We recognise the importance of safeguarding all those involved in this situation, and acknowledge the impact these allegations have on survivors of abuse.”
Antony released his own statement confirming the mutual agreement, reiterating his innocence and confirming he would cooperate with police in their investigations.