Exclusive: Man Utd ‘knocking’ for first Amorim signing but his family wasn’t comfortable in Manchester

A return to the Premier League could very well be on the cards for Bayern Munich forward Leroy Sane.

The German international is, however, understood to want to remain in Bavaria if that option remains on the table.

Matters are, of course, somewhat complicated by his currently high salary (€20m-a-year) and expiring contract (summer of 2025).

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Leroy Sane may prefer London move

Should an exit from Sabener Straße become the most likely outcome for the former Etihad Stadium favourite, he’s unlikely to be short of suitors.

The preferences of Sane’s family could yet prove instructive with regard to the destination he favours in an upcoming transfer window.

“Previously, there had yet to be any offers from interesting clubs for Leroy Sane, but now we have Arsenal and Mikel Arteta (who Sane knows from his time at Man City),” Christian Falk informed CaughtOffside in his Fact Files column with the Daily Briefing.

“London, of course, is a great city; it’s always been a point for Sane and his family that they weren’t 100% settled and comfortable in Manchester.

“Arsenal could then be an option for Sane, as they’re playing Champions League football (and likely to continue doing so next season). Newcastle, who have also been linked, aren’t in Europe’s top-flight and look likely to next year.”

Manchester United aren’t out of the race

It’s important to note that Sane’s potential preference for the English capital wouldn’t necessarily rule him out of trying life on the red side of Manchester.

There might be less challenging competition at Old Trafford, though a likely change in formation from new boss Ruben Amorim could present a different hurdle altogether.

“Now, I’ve heard Manchester United are also knocking at his door. Many people think he won’t go back to Manchester, but United is a very serious option for him,” Falk added.

“However, I think he first wants to show that he can do it at Bayern Munich. Bayern, on their part, don’t want to pay him €20m again. He’s currently achieving this quite easily; he gets €15m straight every year and then after every six matches he earns €1m (which stops at €5m in total).

“Bayern want to reduce his overall salary (I heard 25% less), which will be difficult because he’s a free agent in the summer. Therefore, he has to play at a high level now to convince the club to make him a really good offer.”

Raheem Sterling yet to deliver the desired impact

It’s worth pointing out that Arsenal loan signing Raheem Sterling, though capable of filing out on both wings, has yet to really hit the ground running.

The Englishman does have two goal contributions to his name despite limited minutes in 2024/25 (333 across all competitions). However, if the Gunners are looking for a high-quality option with Premier League experience who could provide star man Bukayo Saka some respite, they could do much worse than gambling on Sane.

The former Man City ace has clear pedigree in the English top-flight, registering 82 goal contributions in 135 appearances (across all competitions) for the Sky Blues. And at the very least, it’s clear that Sane would suit Mikel Arteta’s current tactical setup.