Ten Hag salivating as troubled Man Utd pair are targeted by Euro heavyweights and perfect escape route opens up

Manchester United will find themselves offered a perfect solution for a pair of troubled stars with Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho both reportedly set to become the target of one of Europe’s biggest clubs in January.

Sancho’s problems at Old Trafford are well documented following a big bust-up with Erik ten Hag which has seen the 23-year-old winger barred from using first-team facilities at their Carrington training complex. And with the winger refusing to apologise to his manager after calling him out on social media, a parting of ways appears certain with United ‘expecting offers to arrive’ for Sancho in January.

Despite his struggles to replicate his stunning Bundesliga form while at United, the player is still likely to attract plenty of suitors. To that end, he was the subject of a failed bid from Al-Ettifaq before the transfer window closed for business in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

Nonetheless, amid claims United will allow Sancho to depart for a significant loss on their original £73m investment, there appears a queue of clubs still hoping they can sign the player and unleash the qualities he showed on a weekly basis with Borussia Dortmund.

Martial, meanwhile, is not exactly in the same boat, having no fallen foul of Ten Hag’s strict discplinary issues at United. However, the forward is very much an enigma with the Dutchman failing to get a consistent tune out a player since his appointment at Old Trafford.

Indeed, while the Frenchman has managed 10 goals in 35 appearances since the Dutchman’s arrival – illustrating there is a player in there – his persistent injury issues, together with question marks over his consistency and work-rate, continue to let him down.

READ MORE ~ Jadon Sancho: Man Utd winger torn to shreds by Roy Keane; Ten Hag told what to do with ‘ashamed’ star

Barcelona ready moves for Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial

And with his deal at Old Trafford due to expire in summer 2024, albeit United having the option to extend his stay by a further year, speculation has risen of late that Martial could be set for a parting of ways in the coming months ahead.

Indeed, the 30-times capped France forward was linked with a surprise move to Real Madrid over the summer amid claims United had offered Los Blancos a chance to sign the 27-year-old in a cut-price deal.

However, as per Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are weighing up moves for both Martial and Sancho in January. And while Barcelona do still need to be careful over their spending, the paper claims that the LaLiga giants expect the market to ‘once again offer them players’ as what happened in the summer with both Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix, both of whom who arrived late in the window.

However, because of Barca’s economic situation, figures at the club have ‘sharped its ingenuity’ and developed the ability to ‘think outside the box’ when it comes to navigating certain transfer incomings.

To that end, there is a strong suggestion by Mundo Deportivo that Barcelona are open to the chance of signing both Martial and Sancho in the winter window if the terms and conditions over their signings are in the LaLiga giants’ favour.

The paper describes Martial as a ‘bomb signing’ at United, with the player consistently failing to live up to his promise. As such, with United determined to ensure he does not leave for free, they will be open to a cut-price move in January.

It’s a similar story with Sancho with Ten Hag seemingly determined to get the troubled star off their books. And they believe their prospects of a double deal for both are strong when the January window officially opens for business in just 95 days time.

READ MORE: Man Utd stun Liverpool with huge January offer prepared for Sancho replacement