In what could be one of the big-money transfers of the season, Bayern Munich could complete a deal to sign Manchester City winger Leroy Sane. The 23-year-old winger has had a stop-start season for the 2018-19 Premier League champions, with inconsistency and attitude problems leading to his possible axing.
Sane has just two years left on his City contract, as the club and the German’s representatives have not agreed to a new contract which has led to the possible links to Bayern Munich. The German winger who joined the club for £37 million in 2016, has scored 39 goals in 131 appearances for the club, 16 of which have come this season.
Sane hasn’t been a constant fixture in Pep Guardiola’s side this season, despite scoring 16 times and assisting 14 times in all competitions. The German started 21 games in the league, with Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva being the manager’s first-choice wingers, playing on the wings.
Can City afford to let Sane leave?
If rumours of Sane leaving City are true, it shows the strength in depth that Guardiola’s side have, and also indicates that the Spaniard may get a replacement for him as well as players in other areas of the pitch.
Letting Sane go to sign a player like João Félix, the 19-year-old Portuguese sensation that City have been linked with, makes sense as Felix could turn out to be one of the best players of his generation, while City also need to get a midfielder to replace Fernandinho.
The German can be replaced by a few players in the wide left position in the City side. Raheem Sterling has been successful in that role, scoring 9 goals and 4 assists from that position, while Benjamin Mendy, who has been out due to injury, can play there, as well as his replacement in the team this season, Oleksandr Zinchenko can also play in that role.
Sane has also had attitude issues, with reports earlier this year indicating that Guardiola and the player don’t have the best relationship as the German hasn’t been able to impress the Spanish manager with the effort that he puts in training. With just two years remaining on his contract, this is the perfect time to cash in on Sane as Bayern are certain to pay City more than the £37 million that City paid to Schalke to sign Sane in 2016.
Guardiola is a ruthless manager who demands the best from his players – in training and on the pitch; any player who can’t successfully replicate what is expected of him from the manager is shown the exit door.
