Erik ten Hag says Jadon Sancho is working on his fitness and there is no return date scheduled

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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has clarified the situation over Jadon Sancho, as best he can.

Sancho was not included in England’s World Cup squad, and he was a surprise omission from United’s 29-man squad which travelled to Spain last week.

The Times reports that while United’s players are back at Carrington, Sancho is not among them.

He remains in the Netherlands where he is working on an individual programme with coaches recommended by Ten Hag.

Jadon Sancho is working on his fitness

Ten Hag says he is not going to rush Sancho, and attributes his issues as mental as well as physical.

Sancho did not feature in United’s final squads before the World Cup, for reasons attributed to illness, and Ten Hag says United’s coaches are working to get to the bottom of it.

He felt a change of environment would do him good, and he feels that having seen that Sancho is capable of being a game-changer, he wants him back at that level.

Ten Hag said: “We didn’t see him in the last games for United, he wasn’t in the right status, in the right fitness state, so now he’s on an individual programme.

“We want him to finish that programme and hopefully, we see him back soon. He is not fit enough to be here.

“He was good [in pre-season] but also when the league started he played some good games like Liverpool, Leicester and Arsenal. After we got a drop of level and that happens sometimes, you don’t know why or what is causing it. That is what we’re doing now, trying to research and now we try to get him back there. It’s a combination of physical but also mentally.

“Sometimes there are circumstances with fitness and mood. Now he’s on a physical programme and our aim is to get him back as quickly as possible.”

The Times reports Ten Hag is prepared to wait until Sancho is ‘fully ready’ before he brings him back.

Sancho, 22, was a big long term investment for United when he was signed a year ago, and the club want to get him back playing like he is capable of.

It is very unlikely he is back in time for the team’s Carabao Cup tie with Burnley on December 21, and nor is the Premier League game against Nottingham Forest on December 27 any more likely.

By this time most of United’s World Cup will have returned, and Ten Hag can afford to show patience with Sancho. The hope is that he will be worth the wait.