Erik ten Hag has said there were never question marks over Jadon Sancho's ability, as the decision to sanction his Manchester United exit has been put back under the microscope.
The winger was allowed to rejoin former club Borussia Dortmund in January on loan until the end of the season. The move came following a bitter fallout between Ten Hag and Sancho.
He has managed to get his career back on track in Germany, with his form helping Dortmund to a spot in the Champions League semi-finals. That has led to some claiming that his exit was an error.
However, Ten Hag does not agree, and suggested that his ability was not the reason why he was allowed to depart Old Trafford. Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final against Coventry, he said: "We know he [Sancho] is a fantastic player. That is not a surprise. That is not the issue."
Ten Hag’s comments come after Mark Lawrenson accused the United boss of getting it wrong on Sancho. The Liverpool legend claimed that Sancho should have been retained amid Man United’s miserable season.
Speaking to Paddy Power, he said: “Erik ten Hag letting Jadon Sancho go was a big mistake given the form of some of the Manchester United players – you can’t say he wouldn’t have done better than them.
“It was a decision that Ten Hag took, but they could have used Sancho for the second half of the season. He’s a talented player and would have been useful for them, so I think he made a mistake with letting him go to Germany.”
Lawrenson isn't the only one to have been full of praise for Sancho recently either . Ex-Red Devil Rio Ferdinand has hailed the winger for his upturn in form.
He said: “We asked for Sancho to put in a performance. A lot to prove and he's showing it. He's left Manchester United under a cloud, he's now in a Champions League semi-final against PSG. Who could have written that script? He wouldn't have seen that coming.”
While some believe that Sancho’s exit has been an error, his displays for Dortmund have actually banked Man United a pretty penny. According to reports, the Red Devils have bagged a bonus for the German reaching the Champions League last four.
Should they progress past PSG, that would see Ten Hag’s side secure another significant fee. The 23-time England international has two goals and two assists in 14 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions this season.