Erik ten Hag has now received public backing from Sir Jim Ratcliffe with Manchester United's decision

In the last month, Erik ten Hag has given the illusion Jadon Sancho has a future at Manchester United and Anthony Martial is in line for a new contract.

Those who take Ten Hag's quotes at face value ran stories that Sancho had a route back into the first-team squad. To anyone who attends or watches press conferences at Carrington regularly, the door has not just been shut on Sancho but he is getting changed with the door locked in a separate building to his teammates.

On Thursday, Sky Sports News dedicated a segment to Martial, scorer of 18 United goals in the last three-and-a-half years and who last completed 90 minutes in the Premier League in January 2021, potentially signing a renewal.

The analysis was clipped and tweeted. Then it was deleted once United clarified Martial would almost certainly not be at the club next season.

READ MORE: United stance on Varane and Martial futures

READ MORE: Ratcliffe pictured meeting Ten Hag

At least seven reporters from Sky have attended press conferences at Carrington this season. The departure of James Cooper, a time-served authority on United who travelled to countless continents and countries covering the club and narrated the season review DVD in 2002-03, was as unwise as it was inexplicable.

But Ten Hag is muddying the waters. "We are talking with Rapha Varane, with Anthony Martial," he said yesterday. Ten Hag favours stock phrases and "talking with" cropped up with the three players whose contracts were extended.

A "talking with" should have lasted five minutes. It is United's right to protect an asset with resale value, which is true of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof and Hannibal Mejbri.

It should not be difficult to pull each player to one side, inform them their