Barcelona have made no secret of their desire to sign a top-quality left-winger for their next sporting project. The plan is to make a significant investment, provided they can resolve their salary cap issues.
Names like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Rafael Leao, and Nico Williams, among others have been touted as potential targets while more recently, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz has also been talked about as an option.
Leroy Sane also on the agenda
However, Barcelona are also exploring lower-cost alternatives, with one of those being Leroy Sane, whose future at Bayern Munich is uncertain according to SPORT.
The German international’s name is on the table, given that his contract at the Allianz Arena expires at the end of the season, although the player’s priority is still to remain in the Bundesliga.
Sane has been in discussions with Bayern’s management for several months, attempting to reach an agreement over a contract extension. The main issue is that Bayern now have many attacking options, and the German international has become a less urgent priority.
Leroy Sane on Barcelona’s radars. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
As such, the former Manchester City ace’s situation is under review, with the Bavarian giants considering his departure unless he is willing to accept a significant salary reduction.
Sane, who scored against Leipzig on Friday, was once again questioned about his future and he confirmed that negotiations had been ongoing for some time but that no agreement had been reached.
While he emphasised his desire to stay at Bayern, his representatives have started exploring other options should it become necessary to seek a new club.
No shortage of interest but Flick factor could be key
In the Premier League, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester United have all expressed interest in Sane, with Barcelona also keeping an eye on the situation.
The 28-year-old was offered to Barcelona two summers ago when his agent was Fali Ramadani, but the deal proved unfeasible at the time.
Sane shares a special bond with Hansi Flick, who has been a key influence in his career. The Barcelona coach is well aware of the winger’s quality and flair. However, the Blaugrana have not made any formal moves as of yet.
Should Sane break off negotiations with Bayern and become available, a decision would be made based on the team’s needs.