Just when Manchester United fans thought the case was closed on what was expected to be one of the biggest summer sagas, it’s back.
When Jadon Sancho returned to training at Carrington, it was a surreal sight for many fans, of the club and rivals.
It was a shocking reunion of a player and manager who had fallen out spectacularly, with no resolution in sight except for a summer transfer.
However, both sides buried the hatchet, Sancho returned, Ten Hag remained diplomatic, and even refashioned Sancho into a false nine again.
Until now, when, all of a sudden, reports of Paris Saint-Germain opening talks for him cropped up.
Fabrizio Romano gives Jadon Sancho transfer update
Of course, as soon as a piece of transfer news picks up pace, fans now are accustomed to seeing renowned transfer insider Fabrizio Romano give his reliable take on it.
He has been on top of developments on the Matthijs de Ligt-Noussair Mazraoui transfer chase, and broke the story for Chido Obi-Martin joining Man United.
In recent hours, he has given a major update on the future of Jadon Sancho to PSG transfer links which provides a lot of clarity on the situation.
Romano said on his YouTube channel that “I can guarantee” that talks of his potential to PSG being advanced has “nothing to it”. [United comments start at 5.50]
He said there remains a possibility that he will move on from United this summer. Nothing has changed on that front, something which has been said consistently even after Sancho returned to training.
However, any claims that the move is close are far off the mark. The most that has happened in this case is that PSG have talked to Sancho’s agents to gauge interest but that happened two or three weeks ago and hasn’t progressed since.
Man Utd have played this brilliantly
By taking a step forward from their side, Man United have taken back all the leverage they looked like they had lost in any negotiation for Jadon Sancho.
Had Sancho been kept away from training and the fallout continued, United would have been undoubtedly treated to derisory lowball offers for a player who, despite struggling at United, still started the Champions League final as recently as last season.
United remained firm on the price tag while mending the relationship between the player and the manager.
Nobody is going to mistake Erik ten Hag and Sancho to be best mates now, but his return to the team not only strengthened United’s position off the pitch, it also gave them an option out wide they would have written off in their initial plans for the summer.
United have always been open to offers for most of their squad provided they are suitable and the same remains true for the English forward.
Now, even if that doesn’t happen, United are in a win-win situation after playing their hand brilliantly.
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