Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag stated that he is unaware of the return of 22-year-old Jadon Sancho and said that the winger is not in the proper physical or mental condition to rejoin the team.
Sancho is not travelling with the United team as they prepare for the return of the Premier League later this month after the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar with a two-game trip to Spain.
The winger is currently working one-on-one with coaches in the Netherlands, according to Ten Hag, in an effort to get back into playing fitness.
“He’s not fit enough. We didn’t see him in the last games for United as he wasn’t in the right fitness state and he is now on an individual programme. We want him to finish that and hopefully see him back soon. We want to bring him back as quickly as possible but I can’t give a prognosis of when that will be,” said Ten Hag as quoted by ESPN.
Since arriving to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 for GBP 73 million from Borussia Dortmund, Sancho has struggled to consistently have an effect.
He had a promising start to the season, scoring three goals in his first eight Premier League and Europa League games. However, his form declined in October, and he was unable to play in the club’s final four matches before the World Cup break due to sickness.
“He was good [in pre-season] but also when the league started he played some good games like Liverpool, Leicester and Arsenal. After we got a drop of level and what happens sometimes you don’t know why or what is causing it. That is what we’re doing now, trying to research and now we try to get him back there. It’s a combination of physical but also mental,” added Ten Hag.
Despite playing at the European Championships last year, Sancho’s deteriorating form caused him to lose his spot in the England squad and was not chosen by coach Gareth Southgate for the World Cup.
Both of Man United’s exhibition games in Spain against Real Betis and Cadiz were losses. On December 21, they will play Burnley at home in the Carabao Cup to resume competitive play. (ANI)
