Kieron Dyer Recounts Jadon Sancho’s Persistent Issues, Tracing Back to His Manchester City Days: Pep Guardiola’s Decision to Sell the Talented Player for £8 Million Was Rooted in Observing the Same ‘Red Flags’ Even During His Youth

Former England international Kieron Dyer recently shared a pivotal observation about Jadon Sancho from his early days at Manchester City. Dyer highlighted a “red flag” regarding Sancho’s mentality, which may have contributed to Pep Guardiola’s decision to transfer him to Borussia Dortmund for just £8 million, despite his obvious talent.

Sancho, now 24, showed immense promise as he progressed through City’s youth ranks before his move to Dortmund in 2017. At Dortmund, he thrived and gained global recognition. Yet, Dyer believes Sancho’s attitude issues, evident since his City days, played a role in his relatively low transfer fee.

Currently, Sancho is gearing up for a crucial Champions League final at Wembley, where Dortmund will face Real Madrid. His outstanding semi-final performance against Paris Saint-Germain helped secure Dortmund’s place in the final. However, his career has seen its share of challenges, including a tough stint at Manchester United, which resulted in a loan back to Dortmund in January 2024.

In a talkSPORT interview, Dyer, who also played for Newcastle United, recalled watching Sancho in City’s youth team. “He was a standout talent, the talk of all the academies. When I was coaching and saw him with City’s under-18s, he was phenomenal,” Dyer remembered.

Dyer described a crucial incident that raised questions about Sancho’s mentality. “At about 17, everyone wanted him—he could dominate any team. In the FA Youth Cup final against Chelsea, Reece James outplayed him, which can happen, but Sancho gave up on his team.”

Dyer elaborated on the importance of that moment. “It was alarming to see him mentally shut down. He had the world at his feet, yet he gave up after a bad game. He stopped tracking back, and you could see he had mentally checked out.”

Since returning to Dortmund, Sancho has scored three goals and provided three assists in 20 appearances across all competitions. While he has shown flashes of brilliance, the concerns about his mental fortitude, as noted by Dyer, continue to be a topic of discussion. As he approaches one of the most significant matches of his career, Sancho’s journey remains marked by extraordinary talent and occasional adversity.