Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho has allegedly been kicked out of the club's Whatsapp group.
Sancho had started the season being provided with 76 minutes across United's opening three Premier League fixtures, but he has not been seen since.
The England international was a surprise absentee from the squad to face Arsenal before the September international break, with head coach Erik ten Hag revealing that he had been unhappy with the player's training level.
In the hours afterwards, Sancho dismissed those claims, saying that he had been made to be "a scapegoat", and the situation has now reached an impasse.
While Ten Hag was allegedly prepared to consider reintegrating Sancho with an apology, the former Borussia Dortmund star has refused to accept those demands.
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Whenever asked on Sancho, Ten Hag has doubled down on his stance, insisting that there is no change, and Sancho is known to not be training with the senior squad.
As it stands, the expectation is that the 23-year-old will depart Old Trafford during the January transfer window, most likely on a loan deal.
Taking everything into account, it appears highly unlikely that any consideration will be given to the attacker returning to the first-team ranks before the turn of the year.
According to The Sun, Ten Hag has gone a step further to strengthen his stance by removing Sancho from the club's Whatsapp group.
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Sancho is allegedly now no longer in a position where he sees any discussions or developments within the squad, further demoting him down the pecking order.
Although Sancho is expected to have interest from abroad, a recent report suggested that he would prefer to remain in the Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur are said to be the latest club to start monitoring the situation ahead of potentially making a move for the ex-Manchester City youngster.
Much may depend on whether United view Spurs as a direct rival for Champions League qualification, Spurs currently holding an eight-point advantage over the Red Devils in the Premier League table.
Darren Plant
