Solskjaer sanctioned the £73million deal for Sancho in 2021 during an exciting summer transfer window that also saw Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo arrive.
But Sancho has failed to live up to his sky-high potential at Old Trafford, registering just 12 goals and six assists in 82 appearances under Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick and Ten Hag.
He now faces an uncertain United future after Ten Hag banished the 23-year-old from his squad for effectively branding him a liar on social media.
Many have questioned why United would spend such a significant fee on a signing when Marcus Rashford operates in his preferred position.
But Solskjaer has shut down suggestions that figures in the hierarchy were behind Sancho’s arrival two years ago, insisting he was his target for the right wing.
“Yes, I wanted to sign him [Sancho]. Manchester United will never sign a player the manager doesn’t want. That’s not the case everywhere,” Solskjaer told The Athletic.
“Jadon was put up as the No 1 target for the right wing by the scouts, and when you look at his talent, I could see why.”
However, Solskjaer admits regret over how the transfer has panned out after it became clear that Sancho actually preferred to play on the left.
He added: “Unfortunately, it has not worked out. When he arrived, he had to go to hospital, and that was a setback as he couldn’t start the first games.
“He’s immensely talented, and we haven’t seen the best of him. I hope we do, but he prefers to play left wing… where Marcus plays.”
It has limited Sancho’s minutes for the Red Devils and contributed to inconsistent form when given an opportunity.
The United No 25 has been unfortunate, given Rashford enjoyed a career-best 30-goal season from the left in Ten Hag’s first at the club.
And when moved centrally, it’s been clear that Rashford is at his most dangerous on the wing, which has also limited Alejandro Garnacho’s starts so far this term.
Sancho’s struggles ultimately stem from being wrongly profiled by United’s scouts, who were sold a dream by his exploits on the right in Germany.
But when he inevitably leaves the club within the next year, there will only be one person to blame for how his United career has blown up in smoke, and it isn’t Ten Hag or Solskjaer.
