Arsenal are reportedly weighing up a move for ex-Manchester City winger Leroy Sane. Currently playing in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, the 28-year-old’s contract runs out next year, and the German is yet to agree on a new deal with the club. After recently confirming the signing of defender Riccardo Calafiori, the Gunners are now looking to bolster their attacking options.
According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal are ‘closely monitoring’ Sane’s situation and have added him to their shortlist. Mikel Arteta shares a good relationship with the winger, having worked with him at Manchester City when Arteta was Pep Guardiola’s assistant.
Arteta’s Relationship with Leroy Sane
Leroy Sane has always had positive things to say about Arteta. Following his move to Munich in 2020, he praised the Arsenal boss in an interview with The Independent:
“Since we started working together, he helped me a lot on the pitch. He tried to improve my football; he told me what I did good and what I did wrong, and he tried to work on it.
“Next to Pep, they both really helped me and improved me, to bring me to the next level. Even now, at Arsenal, for me, you can see he’s doing a great job.
“You can see he has a concept, a way that he wants to play, a way that he wants his team to play, and obviously it will take some time until everybody really understands it. I think he will do a great job as a [head] coach too.”
Sane joined Man City from Schalke in 2016 and spent four seasons at the club, scoring 39 goals in 135 appearances and winning two Premier League titles. In 2020, he moved to Bayern Munich for a reported fee of £55 million and has since won three Bundesliga titles, scoring 48 goals in 175 appearances.
A versatile winger with pace who can play on both flanks, Sane would be a quality addition to Arsenal’s squad. However, despite Arteta’s interest, the German appears inclined to stay at Bayern Munich for now and is expected to open contract talks with them soon. Arsenal will continue monitoring his situation should negotiations break down.
