"Stinks suspiciously like a case of wanting a player out" - Liverpool legend slams Manchester United for Jadon Sancho saga 

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has hit out at Manchester United for trying to 'destroy' Jadon Sancho and suggests that the club want the player to leave.

Sancho and his manager Erik ten Hag have been embroiled in a war of words after the latter omitted him from his squad that took on Arsenal. The 23-year-old didn't even make the bench in a 3-1 defeat to the Gunners, a decision that the manager claimed was due to underperforming in training.

Those comments were met with an immediate response from Sancho on social media. He posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) a statement defending himself, claiming that he trained well and was being made a scapegoat.

Robbie Fowler recently opened up on the same, saying that Manchester United want the England international to leave. He told The Sunday Mirror:

"I know it sounds a bit cynical, but I can’t help thinking the entire Jadon Sancho situation stinks suspiciously like a classic case of wanting a player out. I don’t know the ins and outs of it, but it seems to have blown up before the transfer window closed."

The Daily Mail claimed that Ten Hag wasn't cleared to go public with Sancho's mental health struggles last season. Fowler touched on this by alluding to social media and the implications it now has in football.

"I don’t think the comments, responses and counter-briefing that clearly went on fit into a modern approach to well-being for athletes. We are living in a different world now, where everyone has a voice," he stated.

"Even when I was playing, there were very few outlets where a player could respond to criticism of him. Now, everyone has a voice, because social media is omnipresent," Fowler added.

The Liverpool legend further defended Jadon Sancho for his response to Ten Hag, saying that he was well within his rights to release his statement.

"So if a manager or a club makes serious accusations about a player not behaving properly – in this case Sancho’s attitude towards training – then he not only has the capacity to hit back, but also the right," Fowler added further.

Sancho has endured somewhat of a nightmare spell at Manchester United since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 for £73 million.

The English winger was regarded as one of the most exciting attackers in Europe at the time. However, he has struggled during his Red Devils career, managing just 12 goals and six assists in 82 games across competitions. Ten Hag has only handed him three substitute appearances this season.

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Ryan Gravenberch always had his heart set on Liverpool despite Manchester United's interest

Ryan Gravenberch joined Liverpool this summer (Image: Mirror).

According to The Athletic, Liverpool's new boy Ryan Gravenberch was always keen on joining the Merseysiders this summer. This was despite Manchester United showing interest in the Dutch midfielder.

Gravenberch joined Jurgen Klopp's Reds from Bayern Munich for £34 million. The 21-year-old had lacked game time at the Allianz Arena, unable to displace Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich in midfield. He started just six of 33 games across competitions last season, bagging one goal and one assist.

Both Liverpool and Manchester United were on the lookout for a new midfielder in the latter stages of the transfer window. It's claimed though that Gravenberch was viewed by the Merseysiders in the same mold as their former midfielder Giorginio Wijnaldum.

Moreover, the young midfielder held conversations with Dutch teammates Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo about the Anfield giants. Thus, he headed to Klopp's side and United instead signed Sofyan Amrabat on loan from Fiorentina.