Jadon Sancho has revealed he will "always love" Pep Guardiola, but felt that leaving Manchester City to join Borussia Dortmund was best for his continued development.
The 19-year-old completed a £10 million ($13m) switch to Westfalenstadion in the summer of 2017, ending his two-year stay at the Etihad Stadium.
The mercurial winger impressed in City's academy side during his time at the club but failed to earn a single first-team appearance before Dortmund swooped for his signature.
Sancho has been a major hit in the Bundesliga since his surprise transfer, scoring 14 goals in 55 appearances across all competitions.
Twelve of those goals came in the 2018-19 campaign, as he also contributed 14 assists to help Lucien Favre's side fight for the German title.
Dortmund narrowly lost out to Bayern Munich in the end, but Sancho managed to earn six England caps throughout the season and he has been tipped to for a bright future at the highest level.
Reminiscing on his time at City, the Dortmund star has credited the club and Guardiola for playing a key role in his rise to prominence, while also offering an insight into why he decided to leave English shores at such an early stage of his career.
"When I left City, people doubted me. They said: 'Oh, you shouldn't leave Pep Guardiola'. But I thought it was best for me," he told Soccer Bible.
"I'll always love Pep and the club because they signed me from Watford and helped me to develop into who I am today, and of course I'm also grateful to Dortmund. I've been able to take the next step there.
Alex Grimm
"I'm thankful to everyone who has been part of my journey so far."
Sancho's performances last term attracted the attention of a number of top European clubs, including Manchester United, who ultimately dropped their interest after failing to qualify for the Champions League.
However, the teenager is contracted to remain at Dortmund until 2022 and he is fully focused on continuing to progress in familiar surroundings.
Motivated by critics that are hoping he will be a "one-hit wonder", Sancho is willing to work hard and make sure he maintains his usual high-level next season.
"It's crazy what's happened because I'm still only 19 and things like that usually happen when you're 23 or 24. Now it's about keeping that level," he added.
"People are waiting for me to dip so they can say I'm a one-hit wonder.
"I just need to keep playing and hope I stay clear of injuries. I just have to keep working hard and helping the team. That's the main thing."
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