03 January 2024 , 17:19
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Jadon Sancho may be stuck on the outside at Manchester United, but he still retains the respect of Erling Haaland.
Sancho was kicked out of the first-team set-up at United and forced to train by himself following a falling out with Erik ten Hag early in the season. The 23-year-old winger has not played since August 26 and is looking for a move away from Old Trafford in the January transfer window.
His stock has fallen dramatically at United, where he has contributed just 12 goals and six assists in 82 appearances since joining in a £73million transfer in the summer of 2021. United have even discussed terminating his contract because his £250,000-a-week deal is making it difficult to offload him. Former club Borussia Dortmund are interested in taking him back, having previously benefited from his best form.
Sancho played for Dortmund between 2017 and 2021 and excelled with 50 goals and 64 assists in 137 games for the club. He forged a brilliant understanding with Haaland during that time and it is clear that the Norwegian goal machine still rates him highly.
Sharing a photo of himself with Sancho and the DFB Pokal in 2021, Haaland wrote on Instagram: "Proper baller that". Dortmund agree with their former striker’s assessment, with Sky Sports reporting that they are pushing ahead with a deal to sign Sancho on loan.
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Dortmund want to sign Sancho on loan until the end of the season and have already held talks with United over a deal. His club are so desperate to draw a line underneath the falling out between him and Ten Hag that they could stump up half of his wages to facilitate the deal.
Erling Haaland shared this post (Instagram / @erling.haaland)
Jadon Sancho wants to leave Manchester United (Joe Prior/Getty Images)The German club have been assured that, despite not playing any competitive football since August, Sancho is fit and ready to go. If negotiations go well, he could even join Dortmund’s winter training camp in Marbella next week.
Any decision on Sancho’s future will have to be run by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS colleagues after the British billionaire completed a deal to buy 25 per cent of the club. Ratcliffe’s money will give him sporting control of the club once the deal has been ratified by the authorities, but United cannot do anything without his say-so in the meantime.
Sancho’s now-deleted post following the falling out with Ten Hag read: "Please don't believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue.
"I have conducted myself in training very well this week. I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won't go into, I have been a scapegoat for a long time which isn't fair! All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team.
"I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge. I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!"