A Manchester United player has requested to leave the club after being excluded from the squad for last week’s season opener against Fulham.
Almost a year after his public clash with manager Erik ten Hag, Jadon Sancho was removed from the first team by the United manager, practicing separately from his teammates before going on loan to Borussia Dortmund in January.
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This summer, it seemed that Sancho and ten Hag had reconciled, with Sancho being reintegrated into the squad for pre-season, starting three games in preparation for the Premier League season….
Continue readingHowever, ten Hag’s choice to leave him out of the squad on the season’s opening day has pushed Sancho closer to leaving Old Trafford, with Juventus in discussions regarding a transfer.
After United’s 1-0 victory over Fulham, ten Hag noted that although Sancho was recovering from an ear infection, he was fit enough to play but was passed over in favor of other players.
The Athletic reports that Sancho’s response to this decision was to ‘reaffirm his desire to leave.’
Sancho, 24, was also notably absent from the director’s box during the game, where injured players Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro were present along with Tom Heaton.
While Chelsea have shown interest, Juventus now leads the race to sign Sancho if he departs from United.The Premier League team has been open to offers throughout the summer, but no club has met their £40 million asking price.
This week, Juventus has intensified negotiations, with United seeking a permanent transfer. They will only consider another loan if Sancho’s salary is fully covered and the deal includes a loan fee and an obligation to purchase.
Amad Diallo and Marcus Rashford started in wide positions against Fulham, with Alejandro Garnacho coming off the bench after recently resuming training following his Copa America stint with Argentina.
Antony is also competing for a spot in the team, with ten Hag reminding Sancho and others that they must ‘deal with’ the manager’s decisions when excluded from the squad.
‘I hope we will have a squad with double positioning and when we go into the season after September 1, that means you can’t select all the players but you need them all throughout the season,’ ten Hag said at a press conference on Thursday.
‘We have to manage it, the attitude of the players is very important, sometimes they will be disappointed. They have to deal with it, you win as a squad. The prizes are decided next May and until then we need all the players in the squad and highly motivated, that is not an expectation, that is a demand.’
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