Ten Hag hails Sancho’s masterclass performance against PSG

Erik ten Hag has lauded Jadon Sancho‘s standout performance in Borussia Dortmund’s Uefa Champions League semi-final against PSG, emphasising the qualities that prompted Manchester United to acquire him, asserting his “significant value.”

The 24-year-old faced challenges fulfilling expectations following his £73 million ($91 million) transfer to Old Trafford from Dortmund in 2021. His stay at Old Trafford was marred by a social media controversy last September.

Sancho began the 2023-24 Premier League season as a substitute for Manchester United’s first three matches. However, his situation took a dramatic turn when he was completely left out of the squad for the match against Arsenal in early September.

According to Ten Hag, Sancho’s absence from the squad was due to poor performances in training. However, Sancho vehemently denied this explanation, asserting that he had been unfairly singled out and made “a scapegoat.”

Refusing to apologize for his comments, which effectively accused his manager of dishonesty, Sancho found himself sidelined from the first-team setup at Manchester United. Eventually, during the January transfer window, he made a return to Borussia Dortmund on loan.

Since then, Sancho has been loaned back to Dortmund for the remainder of the season, where he delivered a dazzling display in their 1-0 Champions League semi-final victory over Paris Saint-Germain, igniting discussions about his future.

“Yesterday he showed why Manchester United bought him,” Ten Hag said.

“He also showed that he represents a high value for Manchester United, which is good.

“So, I’m happy – happy for Jadon with his performance yesterday and we will see what is going to happen in the future.”

Despite recent reports suggesting a mass exodus of Man United players following a disappointing season, Ten Hag dismissed these claims as exaggerated. He refuted rumours of numerous players being put up for sale and emphasized the club’s commitment to retaining promising talents like Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Rasmus Hojlund.

Regarding Marcus Rashford’s absence and injury concerns within the squad, Ten Hag remained uncertain about the forward’s return timeline.

Rashford joins Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, and Raphael Varane on the sidelines, with Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes also facing doubts ahead of United’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace on Monday.