Jadon Sancho will have to start his second season at Manchester United well or run the risk of missing out on the World Cup squad.
That's according to retired footballer Noel Whelan, who is hopeful that new United boss Erik Ten Hag will devise a system that will suit the forward better after an underwhelming debut campaign. Sancho finally arrived at United last summer on the club's fourth attempt to sign him but struggled during his first year at Old Trafford.
The 22-year-old netted just five goals and contributed only three assists, far below the high standards he set at Borussia Dortmund, with his poor form costing him his place in the England squad. He hasn't been included in Gareth Southgate's last three squads - though he may not have been considered for the current internationals after missing the last few games of the season with tonsillitis - which doesn't bode well ahead of a World Cup that gets underway in November.
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Whelan believes Sancho will have to make a great start to the upcoming season in order to force his way back into the side.
“Reflecting on this season, it’s not been great for Sancho or Man United,” he told Football Insider. “That’s the reason why he’s not in the England set-up.
"People have been playing more regularly and putting in better performances. It took him a long time to finally move to Man United but it’s not been the easiest of transitions.
“Hopefully under Ten Hag he can get more minutes and play in a system that suits him better. We hardly saw anything in the way of consistency last season. It’s looking like a strange move at this point.
“It’s an area where England are saturated with talent. He’s going to have to hit the ground running at the start of next season. Otherwise, he’s in danger of missing out on the World Cup.”
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