Report: Arsenal lining up January move for Bayern Munich star

Reports have emerged from Germany regarding Arsenal's interest in Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane, and the club could move the player in January before his contract expires at the end of the season.

It would've been implausible this time last year for Sane to be running down his contract in Bavaria given the start he made to the 2023/24 season. The explosive wide man recorded 16 of his 19 Bundesliga goal contributions during the first half of the season before niggling injuries took hold down the stretch.

Sane was a part of the side that downed Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals, playing a particularly important role in the first leg which ended 2-2. The German flashed the very best of his game-breaking talent in huge moments last term, but he's found minutes hard to come by in 2024/25 which has raised doubts over his future at Bayern.

Could Arsenal make a January move for Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane?

Sane recently brought up his 100th goal contribution for Bayern in some style at Bochum, but the winger has struggled for fitness and minutes under Vincent Kompany thus far.

Michael Olise has slotted in seamlessly down the right, while Serge Gnabry has been Kompany's preferred option on the opposite flank.

While Bayern Munich are said to be open to extending the 28-year-old's deal, an agreement between the two parties is not believed to be close and Sane will be free to talk to overseas clubs from 1 January 2025. According to Christian Falk, Arsenal are one of the clubs interested in signing Sane, but they likely won't wait until next summer to buy him and will instead get ahead of the chasing pack in January.

Mikel Arteta worked with Sane at Manchester City and the pair are said to have developed an excellent working relationship.

""I was very happy to work with him. He helped me a lot there. We had a lot of face to face conversations about how I can improve my game. I improved a lot because of his ideas, be it positional play or how I have to act in different situations.”"

- Sane on working with Arteta.

Sane thrived down the left flank at the Etihad but has been used down the right more often since leaving City in 2020. Arsenal acquired Raheem Sterling on loan in the summer to provide stiffer competition for Bukayo Saka, and Sane is unlikely to join the club merely to serve as the Englishman's second in-command.

However, there's scope for the 28-year-old to reprise his role down the left where Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are currently Arteta's preferred options. Sane was utterly electric in his Premier League pomp, and his familiarity with the Arsenal boss (as well as the division) could tempt the German if he opts against remaining in Munich.

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