Jadon Sancho may be allowed to leave Manchester United on a "long-term" loan deal in January with a route back into the first team set up under Erik ten Hag extremely unlikely, 90min understands.
Sancho is currently banished from the first team set up after a public falling out with manager Erik ten Hag, which escalated at the start of September when the 23-year-old was left out of the travelling squad to face Arsenal.
Ten Hag revealed Sancho's training performance in comparison to his teammates was the reason for his omission, but the player then publicly challenged this reasoning on social media. Ten Hag and United promptly disciplined the player and he has been training away from the first team ever since, with no sign of resolution to date.
Sancho has been told that his only way back into the reckoning at Old Trafford would be by way of an apology to Ten Hag. 90min has revealed in the past month that Sancho has been actively encouraged to do so by the club's hierarchy, coaches and his teammates, though he has refused to date and there are no signs of a change in direction.
United are now accepting that Sancho will have to leave the club in January. There have been suggestions that future co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe could impact on Sancho's future but 90min has been told that the INEOS chief is a huge fan of Ten Hag, dating back to his previous work at Ajax, and will not interfere with any squad decisions.
A number of clubs are already looking at Sancho's situation but 90min understands that a move back to former club Borussia Dortmund is the preferred option for him. Dortmund are interested but much will depend on the make up of a potential deal.
Dortmund would likely need to make room in their squad in January to accommodate Sancho, but they are assessing the situation. And 90min understands one of the options being considered is an 18-month loan deal with recalls on both sides available in each window.
United, who would ideally like a permanent sale, are however open to the idea of a long-term loan with recouping the bulk of their initial spend on Sancho an unlikely scenario at present, given how his spell at the club has panned out.
The club are hopeful that a long-term loan would help Sancho recapture his form and thus re-establish his potential value. His current deal is due to run until 2026 with another year option, so United realise it is in their best interests to see the England winger playing again - and playing well at that.
Other clubs in Germany are also interested whilst Sancho's camp are assessing other options in both Italy and Spain. 90min understands there is also interest within the Premier League, with West Ham monitoring the situation. A deal with another English club is however considered far more difficult.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Man Utd consider Jadon Sancho exit strategies following Erik ten Hag fallout.