Exclusive: Arsenal show interest in Leroy Sane as Nico Williams Plan B

Steve Kay

Updated: 17 Jul 2024 22:39 BST
4 min read

Arsenal are showing interest in signing Bayern Munich forward Leroy Sane, FootballTransfers understands.

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The Gunners are in the process of preparing a potential backup plan in case they are unable to sign their number one forward target Nico Williams this summer.

According to our sources, if Arsenal were to table an offer exceeding £40 million (€47.6m), Bayern Munich would be open to negotiations, despite the fact that Vincent Kompany has said that he would like to keep Sane.

The German giants are not actively looking to sell the former Man City star but do not consider him 'untouchable.' Quite to the contrary, Bayern are looking to raise funds by selling a wide player, having already spent €145m on incomings so far in this still-nascent transfer window.

Sane, too, is not actively looking to leave the Allianz Arena but would be tempted if Arsenal were to offer an enticing contract. At 28, he is in his prime and approaching the stage where he seeks what could be the final substantial deal of his playing career.

Arteta knows Sane well

The winger has only one year left on his current contract, making him a potentially attainable player for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who is seeking to bolster his wide options.

The Basque, of course, knows him very well due to their time spent together at Man City when Arteta was assistant manager under Pep Guardiola.

This connection could be a crucial factor in convincing Sane to make the switch to the Emirates Stadium should Arsenal decide to turn their interest into a concrete offer.

Athletic Club and Spain breakout star Williams remains Arteta's preferred target for the wings, but Arsenal are reluctant to break the bank on him, which means that he could decide to either stay or sign for Barcelona, with the latter expected to step up their pursuit this week.

Arteta and Havertz connection could be key

Sane previously said of his time spent together with Arteta: "It was great. I was pleased to work with him because he actually really helped me at City. We had a lot of individual talks about how I can improve, strengths, my weaknesses, we worked a lot."

"I made huge improvements under him, he gave that to me. I still keep that in my mind and put that in my game – positioning, how to behave in certain positions. I’m thankful."

Finally, the 28-year-old also plays alongside Kai Havertz in the German national team, potentially making his transition to Arsenal smoother. The presence of familiar faces in Arteta and Havertz could entice Sane if Arsenal were indeed to decide to proceed with the move.

Read more about: Bundesliga, Premier League, Arsenal, Athletic, Bayern, Leroy Sané, Nico Williams