Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Explains Why Jadon Sancho Struggled Early at Man United
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has opened up about why his time working with Jadon Sancho didn’t go as planned. Sancho, who joined United from Borussia Dortmund in a £73million deal in the summer of 2021, was one of Solskjaer’s top transfer targets, expected to embody the club’s attacking traditions.
However, Sancho’s transition to the Premier League proved challenging. Despite his impressive form in the Bundesliga, he struggled to replicate that level in Manchester. Solskjaer revealed in an interview with The Overlap that Sancho was unlucky from the very start: shortly after signing, he went on holiday, contracted an ear infection, and spent his first days in hospital, delaying his integration into the squad. By the time Sancho began to regain form, Solskjaer was already leaving the club.
Sancho’s difficulties continued under Erik ten Hag, who initially isolated him from the first team to train under specific coaches in Holland. Even after reintegration, the winger struggled to consistently impress, eventually being sidelined for much of the campaign. Loan spells at Dortmund, Chelsea, and now Aston Villa have followed, with the 24-year-old still trying to find stability.
Currently, at Villa, Sancho has made just four appearances and has yet to start a Premier League match under Unai Emery. Solskjaer’s reflections suggest that a combination of bad luck and timing played a significant role in the player’s struggles at Old Trafford, rather than a lack of ability.
