Manchester United’s announcement of Jadon Sancho’s loan switch to former club Borussia Dortmund is a fitting end to a rather disappointing story of the English forward at Old Trafford.
Frozen out of the first squad since mid-September and forced to train with the academy players following a public altercation with manager Erik ten Hag, the 23-year-old has spent this season on the fringes.
His January departure was always a matter of formality, but after his epic downfall, suitors weren’t particularly excited about racing for his signature.
Only two-and-a-half years back, Man Utd bragged about their ability to bargain Dortmund down to £73 million from an initial nine-figure valuation when their long-standing pursuit of Sancho finally came to fruition.
Little did the Theatre of Dreams powerbrokers know they would splash out such a ridiculous sum on another player unworthy of wearing the coveted red shirt.
In a case similar to Paul Pogba, Angel Di Maria, Alexis Sanchez and others, the Red Devils went to great lengths to bring the winger to Manchester, only to witness another embarrassing fall from grace.
Sancho has racked up 82 appearances for United across all competitions, tallying a mere 12 goals and six assists and forming part of Ten Hag’s squad that won the League Cup last February.
Being part of the group was the ex-Manchester City youth academy graduate’s standout achievement in an otherwise nightmarish spell at Man Utd.
On an individual level, Sancho has never reached the promised heights in the Premier League, falling well short of expectations and his monstrous price tag.
Supporting Ten Hag’s decision to cast him away during one of the club’s most rotten patches in recent history depends on which side of the spectrum of liking the Dutchman you stand.
However, Sancho has done it to himself. In addition to a lackadaisical attitude, repeatedly denied by his camp, his on-field performances have been mediocre at best.
It’s time for him to return to his old stomping grounds in a last-ditch attempt to turn his fortunes around, with Man United sending their best wishes.
