Quick Hit: Rumors are getting in-Sane
For almost a year the consistent rumbles that Bayern Munich is looking to bring home Manchester City forward Leroy Sane have lingered...and lingered...and lingered some more. The latest word was that Bayern Munich was looking to move on from Sane at this point citing some pretty stark reasons as noted in the tweet below:
Already, however, those initial reports are being refuted:
Not to be outdone, the German Flex Machine (Sport Bild chieftain Christian Falk) flexxed on the rumor as well:
What does it all mean you ask? Great question!
1: As with any transfer saga (this reached saga status A LONG time ago), there are fountains of misinformation flowing throughout the media-verse. Some of it is undoubtedly true, some of it is surely false, and almost all of it is being pushed into the mainstream by the negotiating parties on all three sides of this (Sane's camp, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City). So, yeah, there will be some stories that make it seem like a done deal and others that make it seem like at least one of the parties is moving on.
2: Surely, Bayern would love to have Sane, but a few logistical issues do pose a problem:
A: The cost. City's asking price for Sane could be more than what Bayern wants to pay.
B: Roster log-jammin'. Bayern has wing depth for sure, but also has starting caliber --- and young --- wings in-house with Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry. As of now, Bayern is also reportedly interested in bring back Ivan Perisic as well as a depth piece. The Bavarians would have to purchase Perisic from Inter Milan, but the bigger issue is how to make it work with three alphas for two spots. Maybe that's a concern for Bayern, maybe it's not, but it certainly could be a problem down the road (assuming --- big assumption --- Gnabry, Coman, and Sane would all be healthy at the same time). Another potential issue could be Hansi Flick's alleged preference that the club sign RB Leipzig star Timo Werner and/or Bayer Leverkusen ace Kai Havertz. Werner, at least, could be another player who could slot into a wing spot in Bavaria.
C: Sane's injury. How likely is Sane to recover on-time from his knee injury? As we saw with Corentin Tolisso, a quick return does not often yield the best results. If Bayern has any thought that Sane might not be fully ready in August, it could delay making a formal offer until it feels like it can maximize the player's value.
3 - This could be part of a larger negotiating tug-o-war. Despite all the rumors of Bayern's interest, it does take two to tango. Does Sane really want the move? It appears so, but there is a slight possibility that this is leverage for a new deal with City. This theory, of course, held more weight during the back-and-forth of last summer. Similarly, Bayern wants the best possible deal, so it can't pose as an eager beaver willing to pay whatever to get their man.
In the end, this story feels like there still might be a lot more to be told before we ever find out the ending, so buckle up and hang-tight for the bumpy road ahead.
