Revealed: Man Utd asked pundits to 'stop talking up' Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund before Erik ten Hag 'reluctantly' reinstated winger to first-team squad

Ten Hag wasn't afraid to make enemies during his reign in charge at United. Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea both clashed with the Dutchman, who was sacked this week after yet another defeat in the Premier League, while Sancho was made to train, eat and change alone for four months after a public dispute with him. This resulted in Sancho being sent on loan to Dortmund at the start of 2024, where he provided an assist on his first appearance and helped the Bundesliga side reach the Champions League final.

Sancho produced a string of impressive performances at Dortmund, most notably in the Champions League semi-final first leg win over Paris Saint-Germain in May. The England international completed 12 dribbles in the encounter as Owen Hargreaves claimed he "outperformed every single player on that pitch" - including Kylian Mbappe. According to ESPN, United representatives were so embarrassed by Sancho's display that they messaged high-profile pundits asking them to stop 'talking up' the winger because it reflected poorly on the club.

Presumably, word didn't get through to the pundits. Rio Ferdinand, a United legend, couldn't get enough of Sancho's performance, saying on TNT Sports: "Jadon was making players dance, he was a joke. We haven’t seen that since he was at Dortmund before. What I say today more than anything, that was cage football Sancho. This is the kid who grew up in cage football with that bit of swagger."

Sancho trained with United in the summer and went on their pre-season tour of the United States, but Ten Hag remained 'reluctant' to properly reinstate him into the first team as he worried about how his authority would be viewed. Chelsea eventually signed Sancho on loan with an obligation to buy, effectively ending the winger's nightmare spell at Old Trafford.

Sancho is enjoying his football again at Chelsea, although Enzo Maresca has been forced to explain why the 24-year-old was an unused substitute in the Blues' past two matches. As for Ten Hag, his next move isn't yet known following his dismissal.