Sport

The PFA offers to help resolve rift between Jadon Sancho and Erik ten Hag as exile continues

Given how depleted the squad has looked of late, they could do with any help they can get.

Danny Jones - 26th September 2023

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has offered to help Jadon Sancho and Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag resolve their differences after the winger was reportedly exiled from first-team training and other club facilities.

As per multiple outlets, Sancho has been banned from first-team training and various other facilities around Carrington, including even the dining area after the rift between him and his coach escalated earlier this month.

The 23-year-old made a disagreement even more public after he refuted ten Hag‘s criticism of his performance levels in training on social media, insisting that he had been made a “scapegoat” for a long that the claims made during the Dutchman’s press conference were “completely untrue”.

Sancho was dropped from the squad before their 3-1 loss to Arsenal and the now out-of-favour forward has been sidelined ever since, with ten Hag supposedly demanding an apology and the United star refusing. Now, according to The Times, the PFA have decided to try and step in.

Despite Sancho now having deleted the social media post, he is said to have been barred from training for the last fortnight and instructed to train on his own; he was put on a similar private programme last season, though it was thought that was due to fitness and confidence-related issues.

As a result, the PFA have now been in contact with the club United and Sancho to try to help the two settle their differences, although it is thought there has currently “been no resolution and the winger looks set to miss the Carabao Cup match against Crystal Palace on Tuesday.”

When asked last Friday what it would take for Sancho to return, ten Hag simply said, “It depends on him.” — the suggestion being that the England international must apologise and prove himself upon his return to training before he can be considered for any squad selection again.

With numerous injuries throughout the squad, not to mention Antony also still out of the squad amidst his ongoing domestic assault allegations, everyone at the club will be hoping the two can reconcile sooner rather than later.

Read more:

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That being said, the 53-year-old coach does have other options when it comes to the vacant right-wing position, as many fans are calling for both Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri to be given an extended run of games, with Marcus Rashford playing off the left or vice-versa.

Rashford was involved in a car crash on his way home from the Red Devils’ away victory against Burnley but walked away unharmed and is presumed fit to play.

Mason Mount has also returned from injury, which could see him return to the starting lineup either on the right, where he played plenty of minutes for Chelsea, or in the middle with Bruno Fernandes pushed out wide.

Meanwhile, ahead of tonight’s fixture, Sancho has now deactivated his Instagram account.

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Featured Image — Jadon Sancho/Man United (via Twitter)