At Friday’s press conference ahead of the trip to face Sheffield United on Saturday night live on Sky Sports, manager Erik Ten Hag told reporters: “I’ve said everything there is to be said about it.”
Sky Sports News has been told a “handful of teams” have started to hold internal discussions over the 23-year-old and collect information around his physical shape, financial expectations, and how he wants to proceed from his stand-off with Ten Hag.
While a potential return to Borussia Dortmund has been widely reported, they have currently distanced themselves from that possibility. It is understood that if the numbers made sense and much of Sancho’s wages were covered, it could move the dial.
Edin Terzic, Dortmund’s coach who has worked with the forward previously, continues to provide guidance and believes he can still become a top player.
United are open to offers as there is no resolution in sight. Sancho refuses to apologises for, as one source put it, “effectively saying his manager is a liar” in a social media post, with the club fully backing Ten Hag’s stance over discipline.
As Sky Sports News reported in September, senior players in the squad who are close to the winger have implored him to make amends. They have told Sancho even Cristiano Ronaldo apologised when he overstepped the mark under Ten Hag, hoping it would make him to do the same.
Sancho, however, feels he has been treated unfairly – not just in this instance.
Former United players have also tried to remedy the situation. The club had hoped the matter would have been put to bed during the September international break, when director of football John Murtough and CEO Richard Arnold were heavily mediating.
Sancho was removed from the first-team group five weeks ago. He remains on an individual training programme using the academy facilities at Carrington. As the building houses minors, safeguarding rules mean Sancho must be on his own in the changing room and lock the door before getting undressed.
United have been making sure they are not in breach of contract by keeping the player away from the first-team environment for so long.
Sancho is still being overseen by fitness staff and coaches, has medical support, and access to all other essentials at the training ground.
United maintain an apology from Sancho to Ten Hag is key to a resolution. That does not seem forthcoming, and given how much time has now passed, the damage to the relationship between player and manager is being viewed as irreparable.
