Jadon Sancho will not travel with Manchester United as they jet out for a warm weather training camp.
The forward missed out on England's World Cup squad and has remained at home since the Premier League season was paused in mid-November. United will resume their campaign against Nottingham Forest just two days after Christmas and Erik ten Hag is looking to get his team primed.
Sancho has endured a mixed time since moving to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund last summer and Ten Hag wants to get the forward firing on all cylinders. As a result the United boss has decided to send him to the Netherlands to undergo an individual training programme with recommended coaches.
United's website said in a statement: "Jadon Sancho is continuing his individual training programme as part of a process to get back to his highest level. The club is fully supporting him in this."
The 22-year-old has started in 10 of United's 14 league games this term, scoring on two occasions. Competition for places in Manchester is ramping up though with Antony, Marcus Rashford, breakthrough star Alejandro Garnacho and Sancho all eyeing starting roles on the wing.
Ten Hag has recently demanded more from Sancho, who is still looking to hit the heights expected of him following his £72m switch. He scored the winner against Leicester earlier this term and netted against Liverpool, but is by no means influencing games like he used to in the Bundesliga.
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The United boss said on Sancho earlier this season: "He's doing well, but I think there's much more room for improvement for him because he has so many skills. "We will fill in the period really good. We can go specific. That can be beneficial to continue the season. We know, after this break, every three days there will be a game."
Sancho will be looking to underline his quality and value over the next fortnight with United's more established stars away at the World Cup. The likes of Casemiro, Fred, Antony and Rashford are all in Qatar, giving Sancho an opportunity to assume centre stage in their absence.
The forward has previously hailed the impact of Ten Hag, insisting his clear game plan and instructions coupled with the quality available were helping him.
He said: “I would say more information, a clearer plan and what to do, especially in some areas of the pitch. Definitely. The style of play in training is what we’re working on. Some of that you see, some of it is the intelligence of our players, creating and knowing each other well.
"We’re training more together (the forwards) and we’re playing in the style which the manager wants. Everyone is loving it at the moment."
