Erik ten Hag says he expects Jadon Sancho to stay at Manchester United amid strong interest in a Transfer Deadline Day swoop from Chelsea.
The winger has failed to reclaim a regular spot in Ten Hag’s squad at Old Trafford this summer following a high-profile falling out last season that resulted in his exile and a loan return to former club Borussia Dortmund in January.
Sancho was not included for either of United’s opening games of the new Premier League campaign against Fulham and Brighton, despite having played in pre-season and made a late appearance off the bench during the Community Shield defeat by Manchester City at Wembley earlier this month.
Chelsea have been working on a late move for the former City player ahead of the summer transfer window closing for business at 11pm BST on Friday night, while Juventus were also said to have held talks over a possible deal earlier in the week.
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Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reported on Friday afternoon that Chelsea had now lodged an official bid for Sancho, who is said to be open to a move to Stamford Bridge.
However, Ten Hag is anticipating that the 24-year-old will remain at Old Trafford - at least as things stood when he addressed the media earlier on Friday in advance of Sunday’s huge home top-flight showdown with fierce rivals Liverpool.
"As I know, yeah,” the Dutchman said when asked if he expected Sancho to stay at United beyond the transfer deadline.
"He's playing in our squad, we're happy with him. We need a good squad, we need depth in the squad.
"We have to play many games until January. The new format of Europe, after the break we will play every third day. We need options."
One player who will be leaving United ahead of the deadline is Scott McTominay, the versatile Scottish international midfielder set to finalise his £30million move to Serie A giants Napoli.
Ten Hag admitted he had mixed feelings on the exit of the academy graduate, who has made 255 appearances for the club since his senior debut in 2017, as he also took aim at the Premier League financial rules that result in the sale of homegrown players counting as pure profit in club accounts.
"It's a little bit mixed, I'm very happy for him," Ten Hag said. "It's also (a good deal) for us, but it is mixed because I wouldn't prefer to lose him because he's Manchester United in everything.
"He was so important for our team, for Manchester United, but unfortunately it's the rules.
"We have to discuss the rules, when you have to sell and obviously homegrown and academy players bring more value, that's not the right thing to do.
"But I think for everyone, for all parts it's a good deal, for Scott he's happy with it, for Napoli a very good player, but also for us."
