Bayern Munich are reportedly pursuing a transfer for Manchester United defender Raphael Varane in January. The Red Devils are understood to be keen on keeping hold of the Frenchman but they could be persuaded otherwise if they receive the right offer.
If United are to enter into negotiations, then they may have grounds to ask for a swap deal plus cash for Bayern winger Leroy Sane. The English giants are in desperate need of a world-class winger to sort out their issues on the right flank.
First-choice right winger Antony has failed to live up to his lofty expectations since moving to Old Trafford from Ajax for £82million in the summer of 2022 while Jadon Sancho has been exiled from the first team by Erik ten Hag after a social media bust-up with his manager.
According to the Daily Mirror, United are keen admirers of Sane and would love to have him at the club. Before he left fierce rivals Manchester City for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2020, bookies slashed odds on Sane making the short trip across the city to play for United.
But the German superstar stopped those rumours in their tracks by insisting: “That won’t happen! That won’t happen (joining United), that won’t happen at all. I am really happy here and I’m on the right side!”
Sane has gone on to carve out an excellent career at Bayern over the last three and a half seasons and is currently among the Bundesliga’s top scorers at the time of writing with eight goals from 11 league appearances. Yet he is continually linked with a move away from the Allianz Arena in the German press.
Among the teams mooted as a possible destination for Sane is Liverpool, who have reportedly identified him as an ideal replacement for Mohamed Salah should the Egyptian leave Anfield for Saudi Arabia. Liverpool are said to be willing to break their transfer record to get the 27-year-old.
But again, Sane has played down the links. “I haven’t given it any thought. The club wants to have discussions but at the moment I want to concentrate on the season. Bayern will be my first point of contract, everything else will take care of itself,” he said.
“I am taking on more and more responsibility, on and off the pitch. I really like the role and position at the moment. Julian [Nagelsmann] knows me very well and I want to repay that with good performances.”
