'Jadon Sancho was a wonderkid – but I had red flag against him after FA Youth Cup game'

Former Premier League star Kieron Dyer recalled spotting a "red flag" when he watched Jadon Sancho play for the first time as a 17-year-old for Manchester City's youth team

Kieron Dyer has highlighted a Jadon Sancho “red flag” which he noticed during his youth team days.

Sancho’s attitude has been called into question this season after falling out with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. The 23-year-old, who United signed for £73million in 2021, was frozen out of the Red Devils squad after accusing his manager of lying about the reason behind his exclusion from the line-up in early September.

Former United team-mate Nemanja Matic also recently revealed how Sancho repeatedly showed up late for training during the Serbian’s time with the club. And now the winger has been given a second chance by securing a return to Borussia Dortmund on loan until the end of the season.

READ MORE: Jadon Sancho’s actions on first day back at Dortmund has fans think he ‘hates Man Utd’

READ MORE: How 13 football reunions played out as Jadon Sancho escapes Man Utd with Dortmund return

But former Newcastle and England midfielder Dyer is not surprised, having observed Sancho’s behaviour during the FA Youth Cup final as a 17-year-old wonderkid. Dyer recalled how the talented teenager gave up on his team after struggling against his opposite number - current Chelsea captain Reece James.

Speaking on talkSPORT Drive, he said: “He was a wonderkid growing up. He was the talk of everybody in the academies at that time. I was coaching and when I watched Man City he was unstoppable.

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“It was the youth team, so the under-18s, and he was incredible. He was probably 17 years old and everyone wanted him – he could have his pick, he'd just dominate every team.

“They played Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup final and played against Reece James and Reece James got the better of him, which can happen to anyone, but he quit on his team in the Youth Cup final.

“He just mentally went and I kind of had a red flag against him then and thought that's a bit weird. He's got the world at his feet and alright, he's had a bad game but he's quit on his teammates.

“You could see the life had gone out of him, he'd stopped tracking back and sort of given up and was basically mentally gone.”