Bayern Munich head coach Hans-Dieter Flick is said to have directly spoken to Manchester City winger Leroy Sane during a personal phone call – Sane is a player 90min already understands is very keen to join the reigning Bundesliga champions.
Sane moved to England within a few months of turning 20 in 2016, with City thought to have agreed an initial £37m deal with Schalke. He has been a hit in the Premier League, winning PFA Young Player of the Year in 2017/18, but a return to Germany has been on the cards all season.
According to new information from Sport Bild, Bayern coach Flick spoke to Sane on the phone for around 30 minutes a few weeks ago.
This call is thought to have been particularly important as it is claimed that Flick, who was recently handed a three-year permanent contract after initially getting the job on an interim basis, was not originally in favour of the club pursuing Sane.
The Sport Bild report adds that there was a discussion between Flick and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic at the behest of new executive board member and club legend Oliver Kahn. Now, it is said, the tension has been resolved and Flick is no longer against signing Sane.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge revealed interest in Sane last summer and 90min was able to report soon afterwards that the player was immediately open to such a move.
Things were complicated when the 24-year-old suffered a serious knee injury in the Community Shield against Liverpool that has seen him miss the whole season by the time things were called to a halt in March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bayern opted against pursuing Sane in January, but 90min could reveal at the time that the player remains keen on a switch to the Allianz Arena. That was after also previously informing you in November that he is ‘fixated’ on joining Bayern.
His reasons for wanting to leave Manchester City have not changed. Competition for places is fierce and, despite being fully fit and appearing 47 times in total in 2018/19, he started only 21 Premier League games, compared to 27 the year before.
Sane is not unhappy at City, but he has rebuffed attempts from the club to extend his contract beyond its existing expiry in 2021 because he feels he must move on if he is to continue developing.
Bayern have only partially replaced Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben and there promises to be chances at Bavaria next season when Philippe Coutinho’s loan ends, although the club could yet trigger a €20m permanent option on Ivan Perisic.
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Source : 90min