Deal agreed with Bayern Munich for Leroy Sane - €60m (including add-ons)

[alexmcity]

Both bayern and sane won't feel it's a very important game,anyway we'll know if he is playing about 1.30pm tomorrow

Bayern should first meet the asking price before requiring anything from us/Sane. And they do not seem close to that. We want about 50% more than they seem ready to give - 150m vs 100m euro.

 

[BobKowalski]

I don't think that if Sane plays tomorrow then he is likely to stay. Going by English media we want two conditions to be fulfilled in order to sell Sane: Sane to want a transfer and Bayern to meet our asking price. Apparently, there is no condition concerning a transfer deadline - that it should happen X days before the transfer window closes. If Bayern pay 135m, he is gone imo. That would be a very good price for a player who isn't exactly a firm starter and wants to leave. It is quite obvious also that Guardiola isn't a big Sane fan.

Agreed. We are not after a direct replacement so the German window is the deadline and Pep is looking at Mendy and Cancelo to provide the width and pace. Assuming Mendy can stay fit that is.

 

[waspish]

Pep won't take it as a glorified friendly. The animosity between us and Liverpool has quite grown over the last year and Pep will treat it as a serious game which we want to win very much. Still think that if Sane plays tomorrow this won't mean that he is guaranteed to stay. The ball is in Bayern's hands: they should pay 135m which I doubt they will do. But if they do it on the last day of the window, the transfer might still happen.

Correct in his mind its a trophy

 

[kaz7]

Gabby has every bit of the dribbling skills Sané has (if not more, actually) and is no slouch in the pace department. And he is far more tenacious in press/defence.

I don’t want Sané to go, personally, but I don’t think we are going to skip a beat if he does.

Gabby will likely go on to play, create, and score even more than last season.

I think sane has more speed and can make things happen,stands to reason as a proper winger he would have,i guess i will just have to stop getting off my seat as we won't be attacking like that anymore,sane is a potent weapon,pity as him and kev together are brilliant

 

[BobKowalski]

but are they betting £137m large?

They’re going all in. If they want Leroy they have no choice :)

 

[kaz7]

Agreed. We are not after a direct replacement so the German window is the deadline and Pep is looking at Mendy and Cancelo to provide the width and pace. Assuming Mendy can stay fit that is.

Why would he hope benny can stay fit after 2 seasons out?

 

[SebastianBlue]

I think sane has more speed and can make things happen,stands to reason as a proper winger he would have,i guess i will just have to stop getting off my seat as we won't be attacking like that anymore,sane is a potent weapon,pity as him and kev together are brilliant

I think (and have thought for some time) Gabby is actually a winger being played as an out-and-out striker.

Most of Gabby’s best play has actually come when he has drifted out wide, received the ball, dribbled past a defender or two (or powered past them or played quick passes with a teammate), and scored (or put a good shot on target for the keeper to make a superb save to keep out).

And I think Kev will find him just as regularly. If anything Gabby may win the ball back and give it to Kev to play the quick give-and-go more often.

 

[Dipsis_LTU_MC]

Everyone who says that we wouldn't miss Sane is freaking deluded. He's a unique winger/wide forward in terms of his style of play. The way he glides through defences with the ball with those giraffe legs etc etc.

 

[blueparrot]

No-one has his skillset we would be playing differently with anyone else there,when we need to counter attack his speed and dribbling would be sorely missed

We play differently most of the time anyway, we rarely play counter attacking football 90% of our games are against teams that sit in. Which I guess is why Pep used him as a plan b more often than not.

 

[blueparrot]

I think (and have thought for some time) Gabby is actually a winger being played as an out-and-out striker.

Most of Gabby’s best play has actually come when he has drifted out wide, received the ball, dribbled past a defender or two (or powered past them or played quick passes with a teammate), and scored (or put a good shot on target for the keeper to make a superb save to keep out).

And I think Kev will find him just as regularly. If anything Gabby may win the ball back and give it to Kev to play the quick give-and-go more often.

Sane normally played on Silva's side anyway, and actually always looked better when he has Silva behind him finding him with balls behind the defender. He never seems quite the same player if Silva isn't playing.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Everyone who says that we wouldn't miss Sane is freaking deluded. He's a unique winger/wide forward in terms of his style of play. The way he glides through defences with the ball with those giraffe legs etc etc.

The same was generally said (we’ll miss their [fill in attribute(s)]) about Tevez, Dzeko, Hart, Yaya, and a few other players by many on here.

But, then again, we have had a barren stretch since all of them left, so what do I know.

 

[kaz7]

I think (and have thought for some time) Gabby is actually a winger being played as an out-and-out striker.

Most of Gabby’s best play has actually come when he has drifted out wide, received the ball, dribbled past a defender or two (or powered past them or played quick passes with a teammate), and scored (or put a good shot on target for the keeper to make a superb save to keep out).

And I think Kev will find him just as regularly. If anything Gabby may win the ball back and give it to Kev to play the quick give-and-go more often.

I've always thought of gabby as being more of a winger so i agree there,i'll not say the obvious as i've taken enough flack on that subject

 

[BobKowalski]

Why would he hope benny can stay fit after 2 seasons out?

Then he relies on Cancelo. Mendy stays fit then it’s a bonus and if Mendy is fit and when Cancelo gets up to speed I don’t think Pep sees a place for Sane other than an option off the bench. Pep is a fan of Leroy’s ability but isn’t a fan of his application or tactical versatility. Remember Pep trying to get Leroy to play left back and getting nothing out of him when Mendy was injured first time round? Leroy is great and I’ll be sorry to see him leave but he is too one dimensional to play in a Pep team.

 

[SebastianBlue]

I've always thought of gabby as being more of a winger so i agree there,i'll not say the obvious as i've taken enough flack on that subject

Well, I suppose we’ll soon find out who was more accurate in their assessments, either way. ;-)

 

[kaz7]

Then he relies on Cancelo. Mendy stays fit then it’s a bonus and if Mendy is fit and when Cancelo gets up to speed I don’t think Pep sees a place for Sane other than an option off the bench. Pep is a fan of Leroy’s ability but isn’t a fan of his application or tactical versatility. Remember Pep trying to get Leroy to play left back and getting nothing out of him when Mendy was injured first time round? Leroy is great and I’ll be sorry to see him leave but he is too one dimensional to play in a Pep team.

Why would he want to play LB? what a waste of his talent and he knew it,centurians season he was brilliant in his correct position,not every player can play anywhere

 

[cibaman]

Hope to see Sane travelling but if he does does it demonstrate that much? If he isn’t there that would be bad but the other way around I’m not so sure it makes a difference.

Me neither. Even if the deal is 90% done there’s always the possibility of it collapsing at the last minute. I can’t see why we would leave him out until it’s a done deal, otherwise we’re telling Bayern that we’re going to fold. And if the deal is in the balance then playing him would give us a good indication of his attitude.

Also, we do want to beat Liverpool and he should be in good nick. Leave him out and we might have to play one of the South Americans for longer than they’re ready. It’s not as if playing him would deprive a replacement of game time.

 

[BobKowalski]

Why would he want to play LB? what a waste of his talent and he knew it

Because it would have added to his knowledge and experience. If Agüero can up his game and add extra to what he does on the pitch then I’m sure Leroy can as well. Besides a LB in a Pep team isn’t exactly there for his tackling or defensive duties.

 

[Marvin]

Me neither. Even if the deal is 90% done there’s always the possibility of it collapsing at the last minute. I can’t see why we would leave him out until it’s a done deal, otherwise we’re telling Bayern that we’re going to fold. And if the deal is in the balance then playing him would give us a good indication of his attitude.

Also, we do want to beat Liverpool and he should be in good nick. Leave him out and we might have to play one of the South Americans for longer than they’re ready. It’s not as if playing him would deprive a replacement of game time.

I see what you mean, but I don't think Pep would have a player around the squad who was disinterested. The moment he says I want out, that will be it imo, regardless of the message it sends to Bayern.

 

[bainy]

Sane...great player..hope he is part of our future....if not we thank him.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I've always thought of gabby as being more of a winger so i agree there,i'll not say the obvious as i've taken enough flack on that subject

He is that “inside forward” who works in the spaces created by his, and his centre forwards, movement. As we saw with Brazil, if he is given space, which means not playing with his back to goal, and can make runs both with and without the ball, he can be a worldie.

One of the things about Pep is that he wants the best players in the world to work with because of the qualities they possess. However, as soon as he gets them, he wants to mold that talent into the player HE WANTS THEM TO BE FOR HIS TEAM. In Gabby, he has had a willing participant. I think this is where he and Leroy fell out of love.

Leroy knows he is a special talent and that his talent is attacking defenders in full flow. At City, that opportunity comes few and far in between, because of the nature of the PL and the way teams play against us. It is notable that his best “full flowing” performances are against better teams, where the emphasis is as much as them trying to dominate us as them us them. That allows him the space to be who he is. I’m sure the thought of being “changed or don’t play” under Pep was less than appetizing to him for the next few seasons, as he readies himself for what should be a breakout Euros and World Cup run for him.I guess now, it is all down to price and how to get the best out of what we have left to play with.

I can see Gabby and Sterling being the left sided attackers this season, with Bernardo and Mahrez being the right sided ones, with Sergio down the middle and a rotation of Gabby and Raheem in there when Sergio needs a rest.

From here, it is all about injuries, and when they occur, because we have the quality to go far in every competition, even with youngsters being brought in for the Domestic Cup competitions.