The Jadon Sancho “saga” could soon reach its crunch stage as the two protagonists of the whole issue are set to meet face-to-face for the first time since it happened.
James Ducker from The Telegraph reports that Sancho is set for “showdown talks” with Erik ten Hag on Monday as his future at the club remains under threat.
He says that the manager is disappointed in the player’s actions when he publicly called himself the “scapegoat” and effectively insinuated that Ten Hag’s comments about his training performances were a lie.
Sancho’s future at United will get more clarity after the showdown talks with the manager.
The fans will be looking at this development with keen eyes. That is because due to outside forces, United’s wing-depth is suddenly looking light.
Mason Greenwood has been loaned out and is unlikely to ever play for the club. Antony has taken an extended leave as his own domestic violence case is investigated.
Amad remains in recovery and his return is not expected anytime soon, effectively leaving Ten Hag with two options right now- a baptism of fire for Facundo Pellistri, or an out-of-position Bruno Fernandes.
A reconciliation with Sancho could then work in favour of all parties.
The player is unlikely to receive much interest in the transfer market’s current scenario. His £300k/week wage won’t be matched by any European club, while United would also take a huge loss if they decide to cut ties.
It remains to be seen what the outcome of showdown talks is, but for now, Sancho isn’t doing himself any favours.
His statement that spread like wildfire on social media remains pinned to the top of his profile, indicating his firm and non-negotiable stand on the issue.
The manager is unlikely to take kindly to such an action as he has been a hardcore disciplinarian in his United stint so far.
Some compromises might have to be made by both sides to mend this bridge which nobody thought would be broken when the season was beginning.