Leroy Sane has left Manchester City to move back to his home country. The German winger has always been one of the top talents at City, but never managed to reach his full potential in a team filled with great players. After changing their manager every year since 2016, FC Bayern Munich appear to have got it right with Hansi Flick, and are on an upward trend. The Bundesliga title is their standard, and Leroy Sane could help them reach the next level, if he fits in.
What Will Be Leroy Sane’s Role at Bayern Munich?
Leroy Sane is Turning the Page
Leroy Sane made 135 appearances for Manchester City since joining from Schalke for over £45 million back in 2016. The young German has scored 39 goals and added 45 assists in his four years at the club. As he signs for German giants Bayern Munich, Sane turns the page on a big chapter of his career, and a great learning experience under Pep Guardiola.
In his time at the club, many trophies were won, but Sane never got his hands on the UEFA Champions League. The German winger would have liked to win it there, but says he has no regrets from his time at the City. “[There were] good seasons where we were favourites for the Champions League but we didn’t make it,” he tells The Guardian. “It’s not like I say I regret that I didn’t win it there,” he continues. “I had good moments and good memories and there is nothing I can say I regret.”
The young attacker is also happy with how much he’s learned under Guardiola, saying he took his game “on to a completely different level”.
“I had played just one full season at Schalke when I came to City and there was a lot to improve. I can say I improved in every single area with him [Guardiola] – technically, the positional game. My whole game changed because of the way he works and how he wants me to play.”
Joining a Great Squad
In the past few years, Bayern have lost many of their great players. The likes of Xabi Alonso, Phillip Lahm, Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery were all integral to the German club’s successes. They solved this problem by signing promising young players and turning them into stars.
In defence, Lucas Hernandez, Benjamin Pavard, and Alphonso Davies are some of the world’s best at their age, and will only get better. Offensively, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and now Sane bring pace and creativity, giving the Bundesliga champions the ability to break other teams down.
Even with Thiago on his way out, Hansi Flick has a great midfield to support his attackers. Thomas Muller is back to his best, and Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are a solid double pivot, able to transition defence to attack quickly and with accuracy. With a prolific striker like Robert Lewandowski, Leroy Sane joins the perfect environment to perform.
Bayern Munich recently thrashed FC Barcelona 8-2 in their Champions League semi-final. This performance from the team solidifies their ability, and a Champions League trophy would be a great way to end this tough season. With youth and talent, Bayern will be within the greats for years to come.
Leroy Sane: Bayern’s New Arjen Robben
As previously mentioned, the Bayern squad is filled with great wingers. Coman, Gnabry, and loanees Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Perisic make Bayern’s flanks a difficult area for defenders. Even though Sane fell out of the pecking order at City, he can compete with these other talented players.
While there is no sign of stopping Robert Lewandowski, He’s not getting any younger. Gnabry could be used as a backup striker, allowing the Poland international to maintain his peak physical shape while making the rotation of wingers easier. Bayern want to compete on every front, and effective rotation is necessary to succeed.
Leroy Sane has been very effective on the left flank, but this could cause a problem to Alphonso Davies. The left-back overlaps a lot, and takes advantage of space on the left to support the attack. This space could be crowded if left-footed Sane plays on that wing. Like Arjen Robben in the past, the best position for the new winger is on the right, cutting in and creating for others and himself. Bayern already have a great squad and are heading in the right direction, but Leroy Sane could take them to the next level.
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