Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho will have perhaps been the most eager squad member to discover the outcome of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s season review.
Since the FA Cup final more than two weeks ago, Erik ten Hag’s future at the club had been up in the air but that speculation came to a head on Tuesday night as MEN Sport understands Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS concluded the Dutchman should remain in position. After finally making that decision, the focus has now turned to the ripple effects it may cause.
One of the biggest issues which shall need resolving is around the future of Sancho. He infamously had a massive bust-up with Ten Hag last September which led to him being exiled until his loan switch to Borussia Dortmund in January.
Tyrone Marshall
United planned to sell Sancho whether Ten Hag stayed or not and regardless of the issue between the two, his performances on the pitch are all the evidence needed to suggest a departure has to happen.
In three years at the club he has never come close to hitting the height expected of him. There remains a sense that Sancho plays within himself more often than not for United. Just watch his thrilling performance for Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-final first leg against Paris St-Germain and then try to recall him ever doing that in the red of United.
Whether it is the pressure that comes with playing for United or just never settling in the environment, Sancho hasn’t done enough. Ten Hag staying is the only very final confirmation that he has to go this summer.
Edin Terzic leaving Dortmund isn’t ideal – he is the coach who has often got the best out of the winger – but the Bundesliga still are still interested and so are clubs in Italy. If United can get back half the £73m they spent it will be a success.
Steven Railston
There is nothing new to say on Sancho – he must be sold this summer. His time at United has been a disaster and it seems fitting he will leave in unsatisfactory circumstances.
For all the talk of Sancho regaining his form on loan with Dortmund, he contributed just three goals and three assists and the narrative around his redemption arc clearly went overboard after his excellent performance against PSG in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals.
That was the winger’s standout display during his loan and he otherwise failed to pull up any trees. United have a poor record of selling players and receiving £40m for Sancho would be excellent.
He’s never looked suited to the demands of the Premier League and United must cut their losses and move on. Sancho won’t be remembered fondly at Old Trafford.
Jack Flintham
Sancho has two years remaining on his contract at Old Trafford. Realistically, this summer is the last opportunity to try and claw back some of that £73m they splashed on him in 2021.
It is understood that Ratcliffe would like United to sell him for £40m which seems a reasonable amount considering his age, his performances last season and the tainted image the winger has received over nearly the last year. Another loan move back to Dortmund just to ensure he is not around the place seems pointless and benefits nobody except for Dortmund and Sancho.
With United choosing to stick with Ten Hag, they need to ensure a permanent exit for Sancho in the summer. The money generated will be of huge importance to the club’s budgets this summer and the ship has sailed for him to stay at Old Trafford.
Isaac Seelochan
Sancho and Ten Hag had over three months to clear the air when their falling out began back in September before he joined Dortmund in January.
The winger was frozen out of United’s first team after refusing to apologise and I would be very surprised if he backed down now. That means there will be no way back for Sancho at Old Trafford. Some may suggest that his performances during a brief loan spell at Dortmund mean Ten Hag should concede to allow a clearly talented player back in his squad.
However, the Dutchman is made of stern stuff and it should be noted that Sancho has never shone consistently in a United shirt. The reality appears to be that the 24-year-old and United do not fit so the Red Devils must hope they get a decent fee for him this summer to end a turbulent spell.
Tom Coley
Sancho’s race at United felt like it had been run whether Ten Hag remained or not. He is evidently happier elsewhere and sometimes there is just too much water under the bridge to go back.
United were happy to welcome offers, Sancho wasn’t going to decline the chance to make a new start elsewhere, and who can blame either party? Now it will simply be about ensuring that whatever happens next is dealt with properly and in an orderly fashion.
Sancho and United drawing out a protracted transfer saga does nothing for anyone. Ten Hag will not be keen to deal with the player over the summer or on pre-season, whilst Sancho himself would be better placed with having as long as possible to get used to a new club.
Swallowing pride and accepting an offer for much less than United spent will be central to this. They won’t want to be mugged off, but ultimately it was not Ineos that sanctioned the deal in the first place and that may well make it easier to cut their ties.
Tom Cavilla
Is there a way back for Jadon Sancho at Manchester United after news of Erik ten Hag remaining at the club?
It certainly seemed a Ten Hag exit would have represented the winger’s best chance of reviving his Old Trafford career and now that hasn’t played out, what comes next?
An apology to the United boss is likely to be first on the agenda for Sancho after his public fallout with the ex-Ajax coach at the start of the season. If the pair are unable to resolve their differences, there will only be one winner in that scenario: Ten Hag.
The last thing Ten Hag requires, after being backed by the board, are questions over whether members of his squad lack respect for him. After already once being undermined by Sancho, it seems unlikely the United manager will want to risk a similar situation playing out after winning over supporters.
A sale, therefore, appears to be the best solution for all parties. Whether Borussia Dortmund can afford a permanent transfer is a concern, though other interested parties will surely come to the table.
Tom Doyle
United need transfer funds, and Sancho needs a fresh start – and if that was going to be at Old Trafford, then Sancho would have certainly needed a new manager to do so. With Ten Hag now staying on, INEOS have once again backed the manager over the player. The only question United need to answer now is: who can afford Sancho? A £40m asking price seems reasonable following his resurgence at Dortmund, though the Reds will still have to take a hefty loss on their initial £73m outlay.
Another issue is Sancho’s wages, with few teams outside the Premier League able to match his exorbitant salary; United may have to supplement those in part, even if he leaves permanently. While Dortmund and Sancho would love another reunion for the 2024/25 season, they surely won’t get away with another loan as United need cash for their own targets. Expect a sale – and if it means United can land a signing like Jarrad Branthwaite or Joao Neves, it will still represent a decent deal given their troubles in getting rid of unwanted players in recent years.
Kieran King
With Erik ten Hag now staying at Manchester United, it would make total sense for the club to cash in and sell Jadon Sancho, even if they are going to make a staggering loss.
It has been reported that United want £40m for the 24-year-old, and that figure could even be lowered after it was confirmed Ten Hag is staying, meaning Sancho is more likely to leave. That is a complete far cry from the £73m they paid Borussia Dortmund three years ago, but United need to get anything they can at this stage.
Unless the situation between Ten Hag and Sancho can be resolved, the England international is unlikely to play again for United whilst the Dutchman is in situe. Selling him this summer would not only get Sancho off the books but give the Red Devils more money to spend in the transfer window.
That sum would give them a boost in a potential pursuit of signing a new centre forward, which they desperately need. Although it could be tough to find someone willing to pay the wanted sum for Sancho, United need to try their best to secure him a permanent move away from Old Trafford, rather than a loan due to his contractual situation. He is under contract until 2016.