Man Utd perfectly placed to complete shock Bayern raid after Mane, Sane punch-up accelerates stunning exit
Man Utd have been mentioned alongside a shock Bayern Munich raid after a reported bust-up between Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane accelerated an exit.
Bayern travelled to the Etihad on Tuesday night fully aware of the momentous task they faced. Man City are their opponents in the quarter finals of the Champions League and a 3-0 drubbing all but ended the two-legged tie at the half-way mark.
Remarkable reports from within Germany of a bust-up soon surfaced in the aftermath of the defeat. Former Liverpool favourite Sadio Mane and ex-Man City winger Leroy Sane are understood to have been involved.
Per BILD, Mane and Sane engaged in a heated exchange in the dressing room after the full time whistle blew.
Tensions boiled over, with Mane reportedly punching Sane in the face and leaving the 27-year-old with a bloodied lip. That version of events was later confirmed by Sky Sports News.
Clearly, all is not well in Bavaria and according to a report out of Spain, Sane could be the fall guy.
Via Caught Offside, it’s revealed that Mane’s status as the much newer signing makes the chances of him being axed virtually nil. Given he’s also 31, his re-sale value is far below Sane’s.
Instead, it’s Sane who could be ousted despite the fact he’s under contract until 2025.
Sane has bagged 13 goals and provided eight assists for Bayern this term. However, there remains a sense in Munich that he’s not quite lived up to expectations. As such, there’s no suggestion talks over an extension will be opened any time soon.
Complicating his situation further is the fact his wife and children have temporarily moved back to Manchester while his house in Bavaria undergoes renovations, per the Sun.
That move has gone down like a lead balloon with the Bayern faithful who believe Sane should be performing to a higher standard than he is.
The Sane family still hold an affinity for the city of Manchester through Leroy’s time on Man City’s books between 2016-20. However, while the Athletic claim a Bayern exit could occur, they cast serious doubt on the viability of a reunion with Pep Guardiola.
Instead, the Spanish press tout a shock move to local rivals Man Utd. The Red Devils are perfectly placed to explore a move simply through their geographical location.
Real Madrid too are mentioned in the piece and would provide competition if Bayern give the greenlight to a sale.
The report concluded Sane’s bust-up with Mane is an ‘accelerator’ to his Bayern exit which may come as early as this summer.
Sane can operate on either flank and would add pace, trickery and most importantly, end product to Erik ten Hag’s frontline.
The Dutchman doesn’t lack for options in the wide berths at present, though expensive duo Jadon Sancho and Antony often flatter to deceive.
Indeed, the pair have notched just 17 goals and six assists in 99 matches combined for Manchester United. Clearly, signing a player who could lighten the load on Marcus Rashford would be to everyone’s benefit.
