Returning to Manchester has highlighted just how much the landscape has changed since his departure. The squad has undergone significant surgery, with icons of the club's recent golden era having moved on to pastures new. Sane pointed out that only a handful of his former colleagues - Rodri, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and John Stones - remain from his final season at the club.
Reflecting on the exits of legends such as Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, the attacker offered a stark insight into the culture of excellence that has been instilled at the club. He argues that the organisation is built on a ruthless desire to improve, regardless of sentiment or past achievements.
"It shows that at a club like City, evolution never stops," he said. "Legends like Kevin or Ilkay moved on because sometimes you need a new horizon after winning it all. But make no mistake: at City, the pressure is constant. If you don't perform at the highest level every single week, the club is built to move forward — with or without you."
Despite the turnover, he confirmed he has "never truly lost touch" with his friends at the club and is eager to reconnect with the surviving members of the squad he lifted two Premier League titles with.