- Jadon Sancho has been exiled from Man United’s first team since September
- Erik ten Hag had insisted the door is still open for the 23-year-old to return
- United are three points behind City… a league table can LIE. There are chasms between them – It’s All Kicking Off
Jadon Sancho has been offered to Barcelona in a shock transfer swap deal that could see a former Leeds favourite return to the Premier League, according to reports in Spain.
The winger has been in exile from the first team since his public dispute with Erik ten Hag in September.
The former Borussia Dortmund star, who joined the Red Devils for £73million in 2021, hit out at Ten Hag on social media after the manager claimed he was not working hard enough in training, and tensions have since reached boiling point following the winger’s refusal to apologise.
He has been training on his own at Carrington on full pay, costing United around £4m in wages under the terms of his £275,000-a-week contract.
However, according to Spanish outlet Sport, the 23-year-old could be set to end his Old Trafford purgatory and swap Manchester for Barcelona in January.
Sancho has been exiled at United since a public falling-out with Ten Hag in September
Ten Hag insisted Sancho must apologise but admitted there is a way back for him if he does so
Raphinha has struggled with injury and has seen his place in the starting line-up threatened by the emergence of Lamine Yamal
Sport claims that Sancho has been offered to Xavi‘s side in a stunning swap deal for former Leeds winger Raphinha.
The Brazilian completed a £56m move to the LaLiga giants in 2022 and helped the side claim the league title in his debut season.
However, his return of seven goals and seven assists was modest from 36 league matches. Raphinha hasn’t really improved his hit rate this term and has increasingly found his place in the starting XI under threat because of the emergence of Lamine Yamal.
There has also been interest in Sancho from Juventus and the Saudi League, while his old club Borussia Dortmund have been linked with a swap deal for Donyell Malen.
But ahead of United’s dismal home loss to Bournemouth, Ten Hag indicated that there is still time for the England international to stay at United if he is prepared to fall into line.
‘It is about a culture and every player has to match certain standards, and it was about that,’ said the United boss, who claimed in an interview this week that he has no regrets over his handling of the controversy.
‘What will happen there, he knows what he has to do if he wants to return. It is up to him.’ Asked if he thought the money spent on the player’s wages was a waste, Ten Hag replied: ‘I think that is an internal matter. We will see what will happen.’
