"He didn't want to take this challenge" - Pep Guardiola's old comments on Jadon Sancho resurface amid row with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag

Pep Guardiola's old comments on Jadon Sancho have resurfaced after an apparent row with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.

Ten Hag was asked why Sancho wasn't in the club's 3-1 league loss against Arsenal at the Emirates on 3 September. The Dutchman replied that he wasn't impressed with what he saw in training from the English winger.

Shortly after Ten Hag's comments, Sancho released a statement on his social media, an excerpt of which read:

"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!..."

Sancho has since faced backlash from fans and his future at Manchester United is up in the air. Amidst this, Guardiola's comments on the player in 2019 have resurfaced. Asked why the Englishman left Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund, the Spaniard said (h/t Manchester Evening News):

"I don't know [why Sancho left]. 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."

Manchester United paid £73 million to sign Sancho from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 after he registered 50 goals and 64 assists in 137 games for BVB in four years.

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Saudi Arabian club show interest in Manchester United's Jadon Sancho - reports

An unnamed Saudi Arabian club are reportedly exploring Jadon Sancho's situation at Manchester United.

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, they have sent an offer to the Red Devils and it remains to be seen if the English club will accept it. Sancho is having a tough time finding a place in Erik ten Hag's XI.

Sancho featured in all three of Manchester United's first league games this season but those appearances came as a second-half substitute. Marcus Rashford, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho all seem to be above the former Manchester City academy player in the pecking order.

Sancho hasn't shown the form in England as he did in Germany with Dortmund. At Manchester City, he failed to make a single appearance for the senior side despite two years at the club.

The Englishman isn't finding life easy at Manchester United either. He has mustered just 12 goals and six assists in 82 games across competitions for the Red Devils and has scored just twice since the start of March.