Jadon Sancho has had an up and down time at Manchester United since signing from Borussia Dortmund and this season typifies his Old Trafford career to date.
It started with two dismal losses against Brighton and Brentford for United. It meant Liverpool arrived at Old Trafford against a struggling Erik ten Hag side. But Sancho hadn't read that script. He put United ahead in the early stages as they earned an encouraging and important first win of the season.
Sancho made it two goals in his first five Premier League games when he netted the winner against Leicester City in a positive start to the season before he went three months without being seen in a United shirt. The attacker spent an extended period away undergoing a specific training programme, working with Dutch coaches in the Netherlands on the advice of Ten Hag.
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Sancho missed out on England's World Cup squad and the decision was made to allow Sancho to refocus before the season resumed in December. It was not until February that he featured again in a matchday squad for United. He scored in his first Premier League start since returning, netting against Leeds United, and became a largely first choice selection for Ten Hag.
But after signs of promise, Sancho faded. In the FA Cup final defeat to City he struggled to make an impact and he's yet to fully justify the £73m United paid Borussia Dortmund for his services in 2021. There are mitigating circumstances given the transitional and, at times, chaotic nature of the club, particularly in his first year with the Reds.
Sancho has already played under four different bosses in little over two years at Old Trafford. After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking, came caretaker Michael Carrick and then interim boss Ralf Rangnick before Ten Hag arrived. A second season has seen a disrupted campaign for one reason or another.
Sancho's contract at United runs until the summer of 2026, with the option of a further 12 months. Some have questioned whether the Reds ought to cash in and recoup some funds but the forward can perhaps be given the benefit of the doubt.
This pre-season and the subsequent campaign will be a key period for Sancho in his United career. Neither he nor the man in the dugout are finding their feet at United anymore. Sancho faces a make or break period at United. Time will tell which direction it goes in.
A Manchester Evening News special souvenir edition - Fergie's First - charts United's 1992/93 title-winning campaign and you can get your hands on one here
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