Who killed Sancho’s United career? The club? Ten Hag? Or maybe just football

Most failures have a pattern but, as the winger nears a return to Dortmund, this feels like a fault in the way things should work.

EXIT STRATEGY: Manchester United's Jadon Sancho during the Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture date: Wednesday February 1, 2023.

Never go back. Don’t do it. Never, ever, ever go back. On the other hand, well, you could just go back. Particularly when the business of going away is panning out quite as badly as this. Here’s a good new way to mark the chill passing of time as the lights come on at four and the rain drills against your window.

It is now two and half years since Jadon Sancho moved to Manchester United. United have had three managers in that time. Sancho has earned £40m. And yet he still barely seems to have pulled on the shirt, or got past his moody online announcement clip. This timeline has simply stalled. Wait. Can we restart this thing?