Erik ten Hag said Jadon Sancho finally showed his true worth – and transfer market value - in his Champions League semi-final performance for Borussia Dortmund.
Sancho, sent back to former club Dortmund until the end of the season after falling out with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, shone in Dortmund's 1-0 first-leg win over Paris St Germain.
The 25-year-old winger was one of Dortmund's stand-out performers in their win, which has given them the edge ahead of next week's decisive return leg in Paris.
Sancho completed 11 successful dribbles against PSG, the most by any player in the Champions League this season, with Ten Hag claiming he was pleased for the player he exiled after he publicly challenged his authority on social media.
United want to recoup up to £40million of the £73m they paid Dortmund for Sancho back in 2021, with Ten Hag claiming Sancho's performance underlined the player's true market value.
“So let's say this - yesterday he played very well and he's a very good player,” said Ten Hag. “Yesterday he showed why Manchester United bought him and he showed he represents a high value for Manchester United, which is good.
“I'm happy for Jadon, for the performance yesterday and we'll see what is going to happen in the future.”
Since making his debut in his second spell at Dortmund in a 3-0 win away at Darmstadt on January 13, Sancho has featured in 16 of the German club's 19 games.
Of the three he has missed, one was due to illness, another because of a muscular problem, while he was an unused sub in the other. Sancho has scored three goals and provided two assists since returning to Dortmund, his confidence, form and belief slowly returning after his enforced lay-off.
Against PSG, Sancho tormented their left-back Nuno Mendes and created a host of chances for Dortmund, his impressive performance praised by pundits and former players.
Owen Hargreaves said: "I knew from the first touch he was going to have a game like that, because he had a bit of swagger, didn't he?
"I think that's when Jadon's at his best, he has a bit of swagger. At United, he went safe and played back to the full-back, didn't he?'
Sancho created Bundesliga history last Saturday, with his consolation goal in Dortmund's 4-1 defeat at RB Leipzig.
His 40th Bundesliga goal saw him become the highest English scorer in the competition, overtaking former Cologne, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest winger Tony Woodcock.
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