Al-Ettifaq have failed with a bid to sign Jadon Sancho on loan from Manchester United before today’s transfer deadline in Saudi Arabia.
The club managed by Steven Gerrard made a bold attempt for Sancho after the winger had a public fall-out with United manager Erik ten Hag at the weekend.
Ten Hag said that Sancho had been left out of the squad for United’s trip to Arsenal because he had not trained well during the week, but Sancho immediately questioned his manager’s comments on social media and claimed to be ‘a scapegoat’.
Ettifaq made their move for Sancho having already signed Jordan Henderson from Liverpool and Demarai Gray from Everton this summer.
It’s understood that the Saudi Pro League club and United were in contact through intermediaries over Sancho who expressed an interest in moving to the Middle East.
But although United were prepared to let the 23-year-old join Ettifaq on loan for the rest of the season for free, the deal included an obligation to buy him for £50million which the Dammam-based club simply couldn’t afford. Sources told Mail Sport on Wednesday that the deal is ‘dead’.
It’s an indication of Sancho’s fall from grace at Old Trafford that United were prepared to cut him loose following the spat with Ten Hag.