Jadon Sancho could start the season up front for Manchester United in an extraordinary turn of events for the one-time exile.
Sancho has not scored for United since the final day of the Premier League season against Fulham in May 2023 but he could occupy the centre forward role against former club Manchester City in the Community Shield on Saturday.
With Rasmus Hojlund out until September with a hamstring injury and Joshua Zirkzee yet to start full team training, Sancho started as a false nine in two of United's three pre-season tour games in the United States.
United manager Erik ten Hag has accepted Marcus Rashford is not an effective number nine and £36.5million signing Zirkzee did not link up with the touring party in Los Angeles, despite playing four minutes for the Netherlands at the European Championship and holidaying in LA. READ MORE: Casemiro and Ten Hag's reactions highlight United's squad issues in Liverpool defeat READ MORE: United player ratings vs Liverpool Ten Hag trialled Sancho as a false nine in pre-season last year but started Rashford up front in the first two league games of the campaign against Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur before the fit-again Anthony Martial was recalled against Nottingham Forest.