Leroy Sane: Pep Guardiola drops biggest hint yet Manchester City winger will join Bayern

Pep Guardiola has dropped his biggest hint yet that Leroy Sané will leave Manchester City, admitting that there will be no hard feelings if the winger eventually joins Bayern Munich.

Sané is a long-standing target for Bayern and was the subject of heavy interest from the Bundesliga champions during the summer, only to suffer a serious knee ligament injury days before the close of the window.

The 23-year-old, who has 18 months remaining on his current Etihad contract, has been out of contention ever since August’s Community Shield win over Liverpool but recently returned to training. 

Hasan Salihamidzic, Bayern’s sporting director, ruled out any move for Sané during the January transfer window but the Bavarians are expected to renew their interest come the end of the season.

When asked whether he expected Sané to leave at some point this year, Guardiola said: “It’s a question for Leroy, his agents and the club, I’m not involved in that. 

“What’s important now is that he has to recover well, that’s the most important thing, and after that he knows what we think of him, that we believe in him and after that it depends on him and the club.”

Sané was one of Guardiola’s first signings after arriving at City in 2016 but added that he would not be upset or offended if the Germany international eventually departs. 

“Three years ago is different to right now,” he said. “I’m not the same guy I was when I arrived here and the players are the same. They have their dreams and after the dreams are accomplished it needs another thing. 

“I don’t know. What I want is for him to come back fit, his knee looks really good and after that honestly it’s not of my business. In terms of what the club and the agent and the player himself want to do with his own future, it’s not in my hands.”

City have been linked with Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal if Sané does leave the Etihad this summer but Guardiola was reluctant to discuss potential replacements. “I didn’t think about that,” he said. 

“We spoke a little bit about this season and the positions we may have to reinforce for next season but it’s for Txiki [Begiristain, City’s director of football], it’s not my job. I don’t have time to think so much about that, I’m so busy.”