Manchester United has made the decision to have winger Jadon Sancho train separately from the first-team squad, following the player’s recent complaints on social media about his treatment by manager Erik ten Hag.
The move comes on the heels of Sancho’s public statement in which he claimed to have been unfairly singled out as a “scapegoat” by the Dutch coach. This came after Ten Hag had excluded him from the match-day squad for their 3-1 loss to Arsenal.
In a statement released by Manchester United, the club confirmed that the situation is now being regarded as a disciplinary matter. The statement read, “Jadon Sancho will continue with a personalized training program away from the first-team unit while the squad discipline issue is resolved.”
Ten Hag had explained his decision to omit the 23-year-old based on his subpar performances in training. He stated, “Jadon, based on his training performances, was not selected. At Manchester United, you must consistently perform at a high level every day, and we have the freedom to make choices in the forward positions. Consequently, he was not included in the squad for this particular game.”
In response, Sancho swiftly issued a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), asserting, “Please do not believe everything you read! I will not tolerate false statements. I have conducted myself well in training this week. I believe there are other factors at play here that I won’t delve into. I’ve been unfairly targeted for a while, and that’s not just.”
Subsequently, the post has been deleted, and Jadon Sancho’s exclusion from the squad has cast a shadow over Manchester United’s upcoming match against Brighton.
Meanwhile, another Manchester United player, defender Harry Maguire, continues to attract media attention. Maguire faced significant criticism after scoring an own goal during England’s 3-1 victory over Scotland at Hampden Park.
The centre-back, who was also stripped of the club captaincy over the summer, has faced a challenging period at both the club and international level. However, his Three Lions coach, Gareth Southgate, and his mother, Zoe Maguire-Wilkinson, have both come to his defense.
In an Instagram post, Zoe Maguire-Wilkinson expressed her concern about the “disgraceful and totally unacceptable” negative comments directed towards her son. She stressed the need for greater respect and empathy within the football community, highlighting the mental toll such abuse can have on players.
As these developments unfold, the spotlight remains firmly on Manchester United and its players, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by both Sancho and Maguire in their respective careers.