Sir Jim Ratcliffe has just handed Man United major £40m transfer conundrum

The decision to keep Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager is set to push Jadon Sancho closer to leaving the club in the summer transfer window.

Ten Hag exiled Sancho from the United first-team squad for the majority of the first-half of the season following an incident after their defeat at Arsenal last September. Sancho accused Ten Hag of not telling the truth about his absence from the squad that lost at the Emirates. The Dutchman had claimed it was down to the poor training performances from Sancho.

Sancho issued a fiery statement hitting out at his manager, telling people to “not believe everything they read” and that he was a “scapegoat”. In response, Ten Hag banned Sancho from first-team training facilities and issued him to train by himself. The 24-year-old trained on his own up until January before forcing himself a move to Borussia Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

It was a move that has reignited his career. Sancho has been rejuvenated ever since his switch to the Signal Iduna Park, helping Dortmund reach the Champions League final. He netted three goals and added three assists in 24 appearances for the German club.

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But Sancho is set for a return to Manchester as the club decides the next step for Sancho. Reports circulated last week suggesting that Sancho would be open to continuing his career at Old Trafford if Ten Hag is axed, with the Dutchman then facing major uncertainty over his future.

However, it was confirmed on Tuesday evening that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have decided to keep Ten Hag at the helm ahead of the 2024/25 season, following an end-of-season review. That decision is set to see Sancho push for another move away from the club, whether that be on loan or in a permanent deal.

On Sunday, reports claimed that United want £40million to sanction the departure of Sancho this summer. That is a far cry from the £73m they paid Dortmund three years ago.

Interested parties might even try and lower that valuation now they know Ten Hag doesn’t want him and United are not going for a change of manager – meaning the Reds could lose out on millions.

Dortmund want to sign Sancho once again on loan, while Juventus have been linked with a move for the England international. Speaking after the Champions League final against Real Madrid, Sancho hinted his future might lie away from Dortmund after he enjoyed a productive stint back with the club.

”I want to congratulate Real Madrid on winning the Champions League,” Sancho said on Instagram. “We came up short on the night, but we should be super proud of ourselves. We are a family and these moments won’t break us! Thank you to everybody who came out to support us on such a special day!

“I want to thank everyone involved at such an amazing club. I can’t thank you enough for welcoming me back the way you all have during these last 6 months.

“Thank you to Edin Terzic Sebastian Kehl and Hans-Joachim Watzke for believing in me and bringing me back. Finally a special thank you to the BVB fans. Your support is amazing and I’m forever thankful for you all!”