England boss Gareth Southgate 'thinks Jadon Sancho is a sulker' with Man Utd star in spotlight
England boss Gareth Southgate has concerns over Man Utd star Jadon Sancho
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England boss Gareth Southgate reportedly feels Jadon Sancho can 'sulk' when not selected in his starting line-up.
The Manchester United star is currently in the spotlight after lashing out against club manager Erik ten Hag on Sunday.
Following the Red Devils' 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, Ten Hag was asked why Sancho didn't play.
The Dutchman then said he hadn't selected the winger due to his poor performances in training.
Man Utd star Jadon Sancho has struggled to show his best form at Old Trafford
REUTERS
But Sancho then furiously hit back, releasing a statement that read: "Please don't believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is (sic) completely untrue, I have conducted myself in training very well this week.
"I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won't go into, l've been a scapegoat for a long time which isn't fair.
"All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team.
"I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and (am) grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge.
"I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!"
According to the Daily Mail, however, there have long been concerns over Sancho and his mindset.
And it's said England boss Southgate has had concerns over the player himself behind the scenes.
Believing Sancho to be a sulker, the 53-year-old also thinks the United star can have a negative impact on the atmosphere in camp.
The issue reportedly dates back to Euro 2020, when the forward reacted 'petulantly' to being left out of the squad for the opening group game against Croatia.
Sancho was benched for five other matches that tournament because Southgate, like Ten Hag, apparently feels the forward can do more in training.
The winger missed a penalty in the final of Euro 2020 as England lost to Italy.
And he's only been called up once in the time since, for a match with Andorra. Sancho, the report says, was late for a team meeting before being snubbed for last year's Qatar World Cup.
The publication details the way Sancho had apparently had issues with time-keeping over the years.
He was supposedly punished 'on several occasions' while playing for Borussia Dortmund in Germany because he hadn't been turning up on time.
Sancho was also fined by the German FA for breaking lockdown rules in order to get a haircut.
It is now unclear what the future holds for the youngster.
Sancho, on his day, can be brilliant - which is why United spent a huge £73million on the player back in 2021.
Yet he's toiled at Old Trafford so far, managing just 18 goal involvements in 82 games.
Ten Hag has already flexed his muscles by showing United legends David de Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo the door during his time in the dugout.
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Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag has riled Jadon Sancho with his comments on Sunday afternoon
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And what happens with Sancho remains to be seen, with the player now facing a huge fight to save his club career.
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