"The worst deal in the history of football" - Ex-EPL star launches scathing attack on Manchester United attacker for his spat with Erik ten Hag

Former Premier League striker Dean Saunders has labeled Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho as the worst signing in football history.

Sancho looks increasingly likely to leave Old Trafford in either January or next summer's transfer window. The English forward has been frozen out of the Red Devils' first team after falling out with manager Erik ten Hag.

The 23-year-old took umbrage with Ten Hag after he dropped the winger for underperforming in training. This led to Sancho taking to social media and posting a now-deleted statement denying his coach's claims and insisting he was being made a 'scapegoat'.

Sancho hasn't apologized to Ten Hag and the relationship between the pair has evolved into an untenable one. He arrived at Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 for £74 million but has wholly disappointed during his stay with the Reds.

Saunders acknowledged Sancho's fall from grace following his move to Old Trafford which was a lucrative one. He told talkSPORT:

"Jadon Sancho played for Dortmund, I watched him every week, ripping full-backs to shreds, coming inside and bending balls in the stanchion. Playing through balls."

Sancho lit up Signal Iduna Park with Dortmund, managing 50 goals and 64 assists in 137 games. He's been unable to replicate that form with United, posting 12 goals and six assists in 82 games.

Saunders alluded to this while deeming the deal to be one of the worst in history:

"He signs for Man United for (£74 million), reportedly on £300k a week, he's played eighty-odd games and scored about seven or eight goals, hardly any assists. Not produced the goods, it's a mystery."

He added:

"(For) Man United it's got to be the worst deal in the history of football. You add his wages up. Right now he's sat in his house playing on his PlayStation. He doesn't even want to apologize and even if you don't mean it, get back on that football pitch and start playing football."

Sancho has just over two years left on his contract with Manchester United. He's been linked with a return to the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, and VfB Stuttgart keeping tabs.

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Manchester United boss Ten Hag insists he has no regrets over his handling of Jadon Sancho

Erik ten Hag and Jadon Sancho.

Ten Hag was adamant that he wouldn't change how he's dealt with Sancho's situation when speaking earlier this month. He told the club's fanzine United We Stand (via The Times):

"No, I would not do anything different."

The Dutch tactician was reaffirming his explanation that he was brought to Manchester United to help reset the culture at Old Trafford. He previously said (via GOAL):

"Strict lines is what the club asked me because there was no good culture before last season so to set good standards, that is what I did and it is my job to control the standards."

Player power has been an increasing issue during the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United. Several players have clashed with managers that have often led to the demise of the coach.

Ten Hag previously sent Sancho to the Netherlands for three months of individual training at the end of 2022. Many thought the Englishman would return with a new mentality but his Red Devils career looks to be coming to an end.