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Jadon Sancho Excluded From Manchester United First Team After "Squad Discipline Issue"

Manchester United announced on Thursday that Jadon Sancho had been suspended from manager Erik ten Hag's first-team squad.

A 21-word club statement was published just less than 48 hours before United's Premier League home game against Brighton.

It read: "Jadon Sancho will remain on a personal training programme away from the first-team group, pending resolution of a squad discipline issue."

Jadon Sancho pictured after scoring the first goal of Manchester United's Erik ten Hag era in a pre-season friendly against Liverpool

Jadon Sancho will not play for Manchester United or even train with the first-team squad until further notice due to a "squad discipline issue"

Sancho featured in United's first three EPL fixtures of the season but was not included in Ten Hag's matchday squad for the 3-1 defeat at Arsenal on September 3.

When asked after that match why the former Dortmund winger had not been selected, Ten Hag replied: "Jadon Sancho out? Based on his performance in training we didn't select him."

Sancho then took to Twitter hours later to publicly challenge Ten Hag's version of events, calling it "untrue" and claiming he had "been a scapegoat for a long time".

Jadon Sancho pictured during Manchester United's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in August 2023

Sancho pictured during United's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in August

Sancho wrote: "Please don't believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue, I have conducted myself in training very well this week.

"I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won't go into, I've been a scapegoat for a long time which isn't fair! All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team.

"I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and [am] grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge. I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!"

Sancho has since deleted the tweet.

But he will not be involved against Brighton this weekend.

United had been willing to sell Sancho to a club in the Saudi Pro League earlier this month but did not receive an acceptable offer before the transfer deadline on September 7.