In the friendly match against Rangers, Man United had a much more impressive performance than the loss to Rosenborg. Leny Yoro had a promising start when the French midfielder showed confidence and proved why the "Red Devils" spent 70 million pounds to recruit him. However, the biggest attention has been paid to Erik ten Hag's two wingers.
Jadon Sancho made his first appearance in the Man United squad in nearly 11 months since the conflict between the English star and captain Erik ten Hag broke out. The 24-year-old striker returned to Carrington and was relegated to the first team after meeting the Dutch coach.
Sancho's performance in the 45th minute against Rangers was what Ten Hag expected. The English star had skillful touches in tight spaces, creating dangerous coordination in the penalty area and making a few passes leading to great opportunities. The only shortcoming of the 2000-born striker is his finishing ability.
Ten Hag has spoken publicly about Sancho twice since Man United's return. The 54-year-old strategist affirmed that he had drawn up a specific plan for his student. In addition, the former Ajax coach always wants to emphasize the message that the conflict between the two sides has been completely resolved.
Everyone can make mistakes. If the players think carefully enough, I will draw a line and continue to move forward together" - Ten Hag shared.
Currently, Man United has signed Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee for a total of nearly £100 million. Therefore, the "Red Devils" need to sell to continue shopping. Therefore, Jadon Sancho's future is still unclear until the season begins or a specific announcement from the team's leadership.
Previously, the Old Trafford team valued the English star at £40 million. However, they have not received any offers. Part of the reason is because Sancho is one of the highest-paid players in the team. However, with an impressive performance against Rangers, the English star may stay and start a new chapter at Man United.
Sancho's only problem will be the level of competition around him. In particular, Amad Diallo - one of the players looking for a position in the squad - had a brilliant performance in the recent friendly match. The Ivorian star impressed with a beautiful goal and dynamism on the right wing. Previously, the former Atalanta player had a streak of 3 consecutive starts at the end of the Premier League season.
In the final stages of last season, Amad showed his ability. Next season must be his, Ten Hag said after the Rangers game.
With Amad's rise and Sancho returning to the starting lineup, Man United suddenly have many options on the wing. Marcus Rashford and Antony have missed the trip to Scotland due to minor injuries. Alejandro Garnacho is taking a break after Argentina's success in Copa America 2024 and is expected to return before the England Super Cup against Man City.
Ten Hag has five ambitious players and is ready to head into a regular position on the two wings. Garnacho and Rashford were the first choice last season, Amad has also improved with each match.
The Red Devils' captain believes Amad can play in any position in attack, even as a centre-forward if necessary. Sancho has also shown similar flexibility under Ten Hag, having been deployed on both wing and centre in the previous two seasons. However, the English star's position as the head striker is still the left winger.
Ten Hag said that changes in the format of European tournaments will make squad depth more important than ever this season. In that aspect, the minutes will definitely need to be divided equally. This shows that opportunities will come to each individual.
