Erik ten Hag said Jadon Sancho may play a new role for Man United this season (Picture: Getty Images)
Erik ten Hag could be set to complete an incredible U-turn on Jadon Sancho’s role at Manchester United.
Sancho was isolated from the first team last season after falling out with the manager, who subsequently forced the winger to train with the Under-18s.
The 24-year-old returned to former club Borussia Dortmund on loan in January for the rest of the campaign and even played in the Champions League final.
His relationship with Ten Hag was seemingly beyond repair but Sancho has since come back to United and featured heavily in pre-season friendlies.
He’s been utilised as a false nine throughout the US tour after Rasmus Hojlund was ruled out for six weeks with a hamstring injury.
And now Ten Hag has confirmed that Sancho could well continue to play in his new role in the Community Shield against Manchester City and at the start of the Premier League season.
New £42m signing Joshua Zirkzee is also a recognised centre-forward but has only just linked up with his new squad after Euro 2024 and might not be ready for action straight away.
Sancho fell out of favour last year but has returned to the side in pre-season (Picture: Getty Images)
Ten Hag admitted he was considering using Sancho in a central attacking role more often when speaking to the press after United’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
‘Yes, otherwise we wouldn’t play with him there,’ he said when asked about playing Sancho up front.
‘Of course, Joshua Zirkzee is coming in. He has started training. But he is not so long in training so it will take time and he has to adjust to English football and our way of playing.
‘Jadon can of course play as a striker. He can also play in wide areas but it could be he is a good option.’
Ten Hag said Sancho is a viable option in the false nine role (Picture: Getty Images)
It’s understood the Red Devils were keen to sell Sancho earlier this summer, but his Old Trafford career appears to have gone full circle.
Sancho’s last competitive game for United was in August 2023 and things turned sour after he was left out of the squad for the game against Arsenal in early September.
After refusing to apologise to Ten Hag for publicly suggesting he was lying about the reasons he was omitted, Sancho was banished.
Bruno Fernandes played the false nine role when United beat Man City in the FA Cup final, while Marcus Rashford could also be another option.
Ten Hag added: ‘I think Marcus has done it [play as a striker] before, he can do it and it is definitely an option.
‘But I think he is more productive from the left inside, when he is coming inside, so when he can arrive there he is most effective. But we also have Bruno Fernandes as a striker as well.’
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