Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag confirms Jadon Sancho decision and reacts to Joshua Zirkee transfer

Erik ten Hag has confirmed he has ‘drawn a line’ under his spat with Jadon Sancho and reintegrated him into the Manchester United first-team.

Sancho was sent on loan to his former club Borussia Dortmund last season after falling out with Ten Hag and refusing to apologise for social media posts aimed at the Old Trafford boss.

Despite struggling at Manchester United, Sancho looked somewhere near back to his best back in Germany, helping Dortmund reach the Champions League final.

Borussia Dortmund hinted they would sign Sancho on a permanent deal this summer but the 24-year-old has linked back up with United’s squad for pre-season following clear-the-air talks with Ten Hag.

Manchester United played Norwegian side Rosenborg in their first pre-season friendly on Monday and Ten Hag confirmed afterwards that he and Sancho had put their spat behind them.

‘As we said, we draw the line,’ Ten Hag said after the 1-0 defeat. ‘Manchester United need good players and Jadon is a good player. We have drawn that line and we move on.’

Sancho has scored 12 goals in 83 appearances for Manchester United since completing a £73m move from Borussia Dortmund in 2021.

He has 23 caps for England and played in the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy. Sancho was overlooked by Gareth Southgate for this summer’s tournament.

Erik ten Hag welcomes Joshua Zirkzee arrival

Ten Hag, meanwhile, has revealed what Joshua Zirkzee will bring to Manchester United following his £36.5m move from Bologna.

Zirkzee, who featured for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option of a further 12 months.

The 23-year-old scored 12 goals in 37 appearances for Serie A side Bologna last season and becomes Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first signing since he became United co-owner.

‘He is a player who can link up the game,’ Ten Hag said of his new signing. ‘He can be available, hold up the ball, have good ideas, be creative, can dribble, [make] combinations.

‘So that’s a different type and always what we are looking for, so it gives us more options tactically, which is good because, especially up front, we have many players who can play very direct and they can take a big benefit from his skills.’ 

Dan Ashworth, Manchester United sporting director, added: ‘Securing a forward to enhance our already strong group of attacking players was a key aim for this summer.

‘We are delighted that we’ve managed to sign a player of Joshua’s calibre this early in the transfer window. Joshua is an outstanding talent who is ready to make an impact for Manchester United.

‘His ability and desire to grow into a world-class player means that he will be a great addition to the squad that we are building for the exciting season ahead and beyond.

‘Having already achieved a significant amount in his career, we will provide Joshua with the perfect platform to reach the next level under the guidance and support of Erik ten Hag and the coaching staff.

‘We look forward to seeing Joshua thrive at Old Trafford over the coming years.’

Manchester United finished just eighth in the Premier League last season – their lowest-ever position – and kick-start the 2024-25 campaign on August 16 against Fulham.

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