Was it a Manchester United Issue, or is Jadon Sancho to Blame?

Jadon Sancho is back on loan at Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the 2023-2024 season. The move is a temporary solution between him and Manchester United's manager, Erik Ten Hag.

The two had a rough working relationship that escalated to the limelight in September 2023, and nothing has changed so far. Sancho has had a good run at Dortmund and hopes to rediscover his lost magic after a difficult run at Old Trafford.

With the loan deal re-negotiated for Sancho to be at Dortmund for more months, will it be the solution these two need? We break down what might have led to their dispute and what the loan agreement means.

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Alleged Disrespect and Accusations

United's tactician has been vocal and states that Sancho had serious issues before Hag arrived at Old Trafford. In the manager's words, Sancho's stay at United is questionable, hence the renewal of the loan agreement, where the forward can thrive.

The winger disrespected Ten Hag, something he would never do under Sir Alex Ferguson. First, Sancho publicly branded Ten Hag a liar after he was sidelined from the lineup against Arsenal in September.

The omission from the lineup was a surprise no one expected, but it called for an explanation. According to Sancho, the move resulted from how the manager had critiqued the forward's performance in training.

During the preseason, Sancho has subbed in at least three matches, with United's campaign in the league leaving little to be desired. Nothing had been said all through until Ten Hag was asked about Sancho's absence in a post-match interview.

The tactician spoke for the first time and noted that there is a level every player must reach at Manchester United, and Sancho was far from it on the training pitch. Sancho took it to social media and hit back at the manager, noting that the allegations were untrue.

The 23-year-old posted that he had behaved well during training that particular week. For him, there was more to this, and he was an unfair scapegoat.

Ten Hag was displeased by Sancho's comments and demanded an apology, which may not happen at any time. The manager believes Sancho can ease this tension and end the dispute, but the latter believes there is nothing to compel him to apologize.

Manchester United's coach finds this disrespectful and notes that it is not about indiscipline but how players behave normally. A professional football player must showcase a personality that will prove they need the club's badge. This can only happen when you are in the team and embrace teamwork.

Was Sancho a 'Poor' Signing?

Sometimes, players give everything but what is expected of them. Sancho was a dream come true when United finally found the forward it had been looking for.

Sancho was Manchester City's academy player, and United got a transfer deal for him worth 73M Euros. The then boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, was convinced Sancho's signing was all the team needed.

In the negotiations, the drawn fee was 90M Euros, with personal terms being a non-issue. However, the strategy seemed wrong and not exactly what Solskjaer had figured out.

Dortmund set a tough deadline, and since the 2021-2022 season was approaching, United was compelled to pick Sancho as the suitable signing.

Before Sacho's signing, he had netted 20 goals in all competitions and provided 16 assists. Scoring two goals against RB Leipzig in the German Cup final was a success any coach cannot overlook.

Solskajaer believed signing Sancho was the right move â€“ he was the number one target in the market, and his talent was everything you would want in your team. However, it hasn't paid off, and the conflict with Ten Hag has worsened the situation.

Sancho is talented but is yet to give the best of himself, even though he prefers playing on the left wing, a position Marcus Rashford has excelled at.

Timekeeping Challenges?

United may have missed something during Sancho's assessment and negotiation deal. There was a flaw in the signee's conduct that might have been overlooked or missed.

Sancho had missed a debut and Dortmund, something made public in 2018, slightly five months into active play for the team. No one misses a debut unless they have a substantial explanation.

Another incident on timekeeping was how he was dropped off England's Under-19 World Cup for the qualification round against Latvia. This was a disciplinary measure after Sancho and Phil Foden delayed to show up for training.

Sancho has had a timekeeping issue for some time at Dortmund, but his performances on the field have overshadowed the problem. Even at England, Sancho has struggled with timekeeping, an issue that made it obvious that he would miss on the country's selection list for the World Cup. One thing that has still given him an edge is his performance.

How about His Fitness?

Before the 2022 World Cup kicked off, Sancho hadn't been included in the lineup's four matches for an unspecified illness. Ten Hag tried addressing this objectively after finding out the forward was working in the Netherlands with coaches he (Hag) knew.

The manager noted that Sancho was not fit or in the right status and noted the change in output as physical and mental. Sancho had recorded an impressive performance in several games at the start of the league, but this slowly changed, and his key moments could not be seen.

By 1st February 2023, Sancho had been on the scoresheet with two goals in five games. This was a ray of hope that whatever needed to be done worked.

His last goal for United was against Manchester City in the FA campaign, which marked Sancho's last play for United. The 2023-2024 season was promising for the talented player, but the disappointments have outweighed the expectations.

Thoughts on the Renewed Loan Agreement

Ten Hag doesn't regret having handled Sancho the way he did. Benching the player against Arsenal is something he could do again without second thoughts.

Ten Hag's role at Old Trafford includes instilling discipline, and he has been on top of this. For fans, players, and other interested parties, the assumption is that Sancho doesn't deserve this and is treated unfairly because other players have had worse scenarios than him.

Ten Hag has been backed by the club's hierarchy and justified in doing all he does to retain the club's glory. Sancho's loan deal is an attractive financial investment for the club's management.

Dortmund is comfortable with the arrangement but now questions United's decision. The possibility of selling Sancho in the summer transfer window is 50/50, but United Sancho cannot attract the price he was bought at â€“ staying at Dortmund is the only way out for now.

The management must think about the way forward to find a lasting solution. A longer stay for Ten Hag at the club would influence any decision about Sancho.