Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, has shed light on the reasons behind Jadon Sancho's absence from the squad during their recent victory over Fulham. The winger was notably missing from the Premier League opener, sparking speculation about his future with the club.
Sancho was left out of Man Utd’s squad due to a fitness issue. Ten Hag revealed that Sancho had been dealing with illness leading up to the game which contributed to his omission. This comes after a public dispute between Ten Hag and Sancho earlier this year which they agreed to leave in the past over summer.
Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, said:
"First of all we need squad depth, this season will be survival of the fittest, I can only put 20 players in the squad, then Jadon in the week had an ear infection, he was not 100% fit. He could play but we made the choice, we preferred [to have] others on the bench. But that can change. It will change.
"We can't play everyone the same, you see today how important the subs are. Sometimes frustrating for the player, but it's about team, club, there will be more players in this position, we expect them to fight for the club."
Despite these issues, Sancho returned for pre-season training and even saw competitive minutes off the bench late in United's Community Shield defeat against Cityzens.
Transfer speculations surrounding Jadon Sancho
The absence of Sancho from United’s matchday squad led to speculations about a possible summer transfer. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have shown interest in him while Chelsea has also been named as potential suitors.
90min reports that PSG made an initial enquiry about Sancho during talks with United over midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer. However, their interest hasn't advanced beyond preliminary discussions at this stage.
Relief after Bruno Fernandes' contract renewal
Bruno Fernandes is another player who has been mentioned in negotiations but PSG did not pursue a move before he signed his new contract at Old Trafford recently. In related news, PSG have signed Desire Doue from Rennes for €50m deal indicating that their desire for a new winger might be satisfied for now.
While there are ongoing speculations surrounding Jadon Sanchos’ future at Manchester United due to his recent omission from key matches; it is clear that fitness issues have played a significant role in this decision. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these developments unfold and impact the dynamics of the team.
