Leicester City are reportedly still interested in signing Schalke’s Salif Sane, having enquired about his availability in the summer transfer window.
The 29-year-old central defender has been with the German club since 2018, and the Foxes could make a move for him in the summer.
According to Leicester Mercury, Sane was on the shortlist of players that Leicester wanted to replace Harry Maguire, who moved to Manchester United in the summer.
Sane, along with Nathan Ake, James Tarkowski, and Merih Demiral, were pursued by Leicester before they promoted Çağlar Söyüncü to the starting XI.
The Foxes will not make a move for him in the January transfer window as he recently underwent a surgery, and will be out of action for a while.
Sane moved to Schalke from Hannover in 2018 after playing five seasons with them. His current deal with Schalke expires in 2022. Despite being born in France, Sane represents Senegal and has played 30 times for them.
Salif Sane would be another solid option at the back
Sane towers over most opposition attackers, standing at 6’5″ and dominates anything in the air. The 29-year-old won an average of 4.3 aerial balls per match this season in the Bundesliga for Schalke, before picking up a long-term injury.
He is a versatile player who can play as a central defender or even as a defensive midfielder, thanks to his interception and blocking skills.
Sane is quick to recognise the danger and closes down opposition defenders, while he also tries to build attacks from the back with his long ball-playing skills. He has averaged 2.6 long balls per game in the league this season. The 29-year old has averaged 3.1 clearances per game in the season, while averaging 1.2 interceptions.
The Senegalese international has been key to Schalke’s success this season, having featured in 10 league games. Sane is currently out with a knee injury, which could put his future in jeopardy.
Leicester need another quality central defender in their squad, especially next season, when they will have to contend with more fixtures if they qualify for Europe.
The Foxes should perhaps evaluate Sane’s fitness after he returns to first-team action and then make a move for him. If he’s back to his best, Leicester should certainly make a move for him, next summer.
