Erik ten Hag has selection problems
Man United could start the season with winger Jadon Sancho as a makeshift striker, Erik ten Hag has suggested.
Only earlier this summer, the Red Devils completed the signing of highly rated Dutch international striker Joshua Zirzkee from Bologna.
However, it has been revealed that he is not fully up to speed yet, with the player absent from the pre-season US tour.
Additionally, Danish attacker Rasmus Hojlund is set for a six week period on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
Resultantly, in the pre-season friendly versus Liverpool Sancho was deployed as the striker, as well as against Real Betis in a 3-2 victory in San Diego.
It’s still widely reported that the club are open to a potential sale of the player, should the right offer be received.
Sancho only returned to training last month following last season’s ten month exile, however it looks like he may already have a crucial part to play in the start of the soon approaching Premier League season.
In this upcoming weekend, United face Manchester City once more, this time in the Community Shield.
A league opener against Fulham follows just six days later.
Erik ten Hag spoke on the prospect of Sancho being deployed as a number 9:
“Yes, otherwise we wouldn’t play with him there. That is what we can do if we don’t have the availability of Rasmus.
“But, of course, Joshua Zirkzee is coming in, he has started training, but also consider that he is not so long in training, so that will take time, and he has to adapt to English football and our way of playing as well.
“But there is also Jadon as a striker. We know he can play in wide areas, but also as a false striker, he’s an option.”
