Rio Ferdinand says the ‘only way’ Jadon Sancho will return to Manchester United is if Erik ten Hag is sacked as manager.
Sancho returned to his former club Borussia Dortmund in January after falling out with Ten Hag earlier in the season.
The England international has underwhelmed at Old Trafford following a £73m move in 2021, but has shown glimpses of his immense potential during his loan stint in Germany, helping Dortmund reach the semi-finals of the Champions League and starring in their first-leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Sancho was widely expected to complete a permanent move to Dortmund but his recent form has sparked speculation United will keep hold of the 24-year-old.
Ferdinand, though, cannot see Sancho returning to Old Trafford if Ten Hag is still in charge and says his presence would ‘undermine’ the Dutchman following their spat earlier in the campaign.
‘I think the only way he goes back to Manchester United is if Erik ten Hag isn’t there,’ Ferdinand said on TNT Sports before Dortmund’s Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG.
‘I don’t think they can undermine the manager and let a player not apologise and then bring him back.
‘I don’t think they’ll undermine the manager in that way. I think Ten Hag needs to be gone and out of the building for Jadon Sancho to come back.’
Looking back at Sancho’s performance against PSG last week, Ferdinand added: ‘If he plays that way again tonight he really puts pressure on United and the people behind the scenes.
‘If he follows it up with a lacklustre performance, I think that answers a lot of the questions but if he performs again there will be people asking questions behind the scenes about his future.’
Fellow former Manchester United star Owen Hargreaves, meanwhile, believes Sancho could be part of ‘something really big’ alongside some current Old Trafford emerging stars.
‘He’s a Manchester United player and he’s got a contract there,’ the ex-England midfielder said.
‘If you pair him with Hojlund, Garnacho, Mainoo… there’s potential to grow something really big. Jadon could be a part of that and he should be excited by that possibility.
‘I think it was a huge moment for him, to be the best player on the pitch in a Champions League semi-final.
‘If he does that again tonight, he puts himself in a different category because he showed last week why United paid so much money for him.
‘It didn’t happen at United for whatever reason but on the biggest stage and in his biggest game for years he showed he had the potential to be a special player.’
Ten Hag is under huge pressure but Manchester United will make their final decision over the 54-year-old at the end of the season, even despite the recent 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.
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