According to a recent exclusive report by The Sun, German giants Bayern Munich are said to have offered Manchester City David Alaba plus £50m for the services of German international winger Leroy Sané. The report suggests that the Austrian international defender is looking for a new challenge away from the Allianz Arena, opening up the possibility of a player exchange between the two parties. The Bavarians are said to be willing to use Alaba as the makeweight in the deal.
The report claims that European powerhouse Bayern Munich have been tracking Leroy Sane’s progress at the Etihad Stadium for many years now and that they’re eager to get him to sign. It has been suggested that the Bavarians are worried about any additional suitors that could come up for the German’s services when the transfer window officially opens in the summer. Having spent a duration of time managing the Bundesliga club, Pep Guardiola is said to have a personal relationship with the Austrian defender as well.
Why City Need Alaba More Than They Need Sané?
The Citizens started the campaign in the same fashion as last time around, as they went on to pick up the community shield by beating title rivals Liverpool. Despite looking like the same outfit from the last term with a few minor tweaks, things just didn’t seem to be flowing as smoothly as usual for some reason. For starters, the addition of Rodri in the middle of the park meant that one of the Citizens’ more creative midfield sources would be restricted to the bench.
Although there were signs of rejuvenation, City were never really able to reach the same level of form they did last time. Despite this, key names like Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez have stepped in at crucial moments and saved Guardiola’s face. One aspect that cannot be avoided though is the dire effect that Ayermic Laporte’s early season injury had on the confidence of this City side.
When Leroy Sané got injured during the aforementioned Community Shield, the Citizens were able to find the right players to cover for him, with even Gabriel Jesus slotting in fairly effectively. At the back though, things have been different, to put it mildly. With Laporte out injured, Guardiola preferred to drop Fernandinho into the centre-half role, despite having two experienced natural options for the same position. Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones just don’t seem to have the quality or calmness required to maintain form in the Premier League.
Why This Would Be A Smart Piece Of Business By Manchester City?
Although a straight player swap would be rather unfair on Manchester City financially, the inclusion of the £50m does make this a reasonable deal for the Citizens to take. Alaba is unquestionably one of the most versatile defenders in Europe, competing for the spot with the likes of Sergi Roberto and Joshua Kimmich.
The Austrian is still only 27 and has a long future ahead of him. Capable of playing at full-back or in the middle, the Bayern Munich man has been a hallmark of consistency for many years now. Adding him to the roster would make City a force to be reckoned with, while the £50m they get can be used to replace the outbound Sané efficiently.
