Jadon Sancho is a bother to Erik ten Hag. The winger has been used as a temporary center-forward throughout preseason by Manchester United’s manager, but with the arrival of Rasmus Hojlund ($72 million), Sancho’s time up top may be limited once the regular season starts.
Sancho has been a letdown since leaving Borussia Dortmund for a reported £73 million. In 79 games at Old Trafford, he has contributed six assists and twelve goals. In comparison, his final campaign with Dortmund saw 16 goals and 20 assists. Ten Hag’s attempt to change his position demonstrates that his manager is aware that Sancho’s performance has significantly fallen short of expectations.
It appears going into the new campaign that Marcus Rashford on the left, Antony on the right, and Hojlund through the middle will be United’s first-choice assault once Hojlund is fully healthy. There is nowhere for Sancho to go right away.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Ten Hag has had enough of the 23-cap England international playing wide. Additionally, Sancho’s chances of making an early start appear limited given that Hojlund and Anthony Martial are the top two No 9 options, where Rashford can potentially fill in.
There is another position where the forward hasn’t really played for United though and that’s as a No 10. For Dortmund, the 23-year-old was most prolific from the left or right wing but there were also matches where he impressed centrally and it might be a role where he could flourish for the Red Devils.
In a victory over Leicester in February, he was substituted in and assisted on the team’s third goal. Ten Hag subsequently stated: “Today when you see he is coming on in the midfield position now, great runs, great passes, good in possession and also, especially the one that gives me a lot of joy, defensive transition.”
A center position behind the striker may be Ten Hag’s last opportunity to win the Dutchman over if he doesn’t like Sancho playing wide but can’t find many minutes for him up front. But in the hole, there is a large obstruction in his path.
That would be the essential Bruno Fernandes, one of the world’s most inventive and successful No 10s. Last season, it was extremely tough to replace Fernandes; this season, it will be much harder because he has been named the new club captain.
Fernandes is one of the very first names on Ten Hag’s team sheet and is hardly ever injured. In 37 of United’s 38 Premier League games, he started. He made 35 starts in each of the two seasons before to that. Sancho will never take his place as the starting ten, save in the rarest of circumstances.
Sancho would be a good fit for the position since it puts him on the cutting edge, where he can be most creative, but Fernandes is an immovable object there, which presents a concern. The former Manchester City youth sensation might have to be content with being more of a rotation player as a result.
His United career may finish far sooner than the club anticipated when he arrived three years ago if he doesn’t use the opportunity to shine in the appearances that he does get.