Pep Guardiola’s warning about Jadon Sancho that Man Utd ignored

September 6, 2025 talktoboyveedo@gmail.com Manchester United 0

Pep Guardiola’s warning over Jadon Sancho’s mentality fell on deaf ears when Manchester United finally signed the winger back in 2021. Sancho broke through the Manchester City youth academy in 2017 under the Spanish boss.

However, the 25-year-old failed to ever make a professional appearance for the Cityzens as he was shipped off to Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth around £8million. Asked in 2019 why Sancho was sold on rather than deployed by Guardiola, the 54-year-old said: “I don’t know.

“He didn’t want to take this challenge [to fight his way into the first team], this opportunity to discover if he was able to. He decided to go there. So, it’s perfect. It’s going well and congratulations on what he is doing.

“He is doing an incredible performance. He did it incredibly well this season. What would have happened this season [at City]? I don’t know. Again, with the players, it depends on them and what they do on the pitch.”

Guardiola was quick to express his happiness that Sancho was succeeding in the Bundesliga, but many managers could have been alarmed by his remarks about the winger’s will to compete for his spot.

After a protracted pursuit, United finally signed Sancho in a £73 million deal after his 50 goals and 64 assists in 137 games for Die Schwarzgelben between 2017 and 2021 proved to be irresistible.

However, in the years that have followed, his time with the Red Devils has not been easy. Sancho only scored nine Premier League goals in 55 games during his first two seasons at Old Trafford before rejoining Dortmund following a falling out with Erik ten Hag over his training efforts.

Speaking following United’s 3-1 loss to Arsenal back in September 2023 – a game in which Sancho did not travel for – Ten Hag said: “Jadon, on his performances in training we did not select him. You have to reach a level every day at Manchester United and we can make choices in the front line. So for this game he was not selected.”

Sancho, meanwhile, was quick to fire back at his manager’s comments, claiming that he was being used as a “scapegoat.” He wrote on social media: “Please don’t believe everything you read.

“I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue, I have conducted myself in training very well this week. I believe there are other reasons for this matter which I won’t go into, I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!

“All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to the team. I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge. I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!”

Before returning to the Red Devils in the summer, the Englishman went back to Dortmund on a temporary loan in January 2024, where he and Ten Hag clashed. His time at Old Trafford was short-lived, though, as he joined Chelsea on a season-long loan with a £25 million purchase obligation that was contingent on his performance.

The board ultimately decided not to carry out their required purchase, instead paying a £5 million penalty to have Sancho return to the north west under new manager Ruben Amorim, despite a rather successful stint with Chelsea. Once more, however, his time at Old Trafford was cut short when the Portuguese strategist decided he was unnecessary for his own schemes.

Sancho has thus completed a loan move to Aston Villa on transfer deadline day, where he will look to Unai Emery for a Premier League comeback. There is no purchase commitment associated with the agreement because Sancho’s contract expires next summer. To keep him from leaving the team as a free agent, the United board can potentially choose to extend his contract by one year.

 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*