Arsenal linked with star Thierry Henry called a ‘killer’: The truth revealed

Robin Bairner

21 Sept 2024 09:15 BST
4 min read

Arsenal were linked with a move for Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane during the summer, and the truth behind those rumours has now been revealed.

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Sane is out of contract in the summer of 2025 and at present is destined to become a free agent at that point, meaning the Gunners could sign him for no transfer fee next summer.

But just how interested are Mikel Arteta’s side in the winger?

Current ETV

Leroy Sané

M (RL)

Bayern

Leroy Sané

M (RL)

Bayern

ETV Range

€42.2M - €70.3M

According to football transfer news expert Christian Falk, Arsenal did not get too serious last summer, but a future move is not dismissed.

“It was reported in England that there was interest in Leroy Sane from Newcastle and Arsenal,” he told the Daily Briefing. “I talked to the management at the club and apparently no one was asking directly for the player.”

Sane is the most valuable player in the world heading for free agency in 2025, and unsurprisingly, this is a situation that Bayern Munich want to resolve as rapidly as possible.

Sane wage demands problematic

Arsenal and Newcastle were both linked with moves from the Premier League, but according to Falk, the type of wage he is earning at Bayern is liable to put these suitors off.

“He’s currently earning a lot of money at the club (€15m plus €5m in add-ons),” he said. “It’s very easy for him to activate his add-ons as he gets a €1m after every six games played.

“If you look at Arsenal’s situation, you see they now have Raheem Sterling, and I heard that they don’t pay his whole salary. Their agreement with Chelsea sees Arsenal pay £100,000-a-week, whilst the remaining £200,000-a-week is covered by Chelsea. So, he’s earning €18.6m [£15.6m] a year, which Arsenal didn’t want to pay! If you can’t pay that for Sterling, I think it’s very hard to pay €20m for Leroy Sane.

“I heard Newcastle were also interested but it was the same game with Michael Olise. Bayern Munich were in the talks along with Newcastle with the former, eventually paying a €13m salary for Olise (it could be €13m plus €3m in add-ons).

“Both amounts would be too high for Newcastle. If you can’t meet that figure for Olise, it’s getting hard to pay more for Sane.”

© IMAGO - Leroy Sane in action for Bayern during the 2023/24 season

Sane a killer – Thierry Henry

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has previously told Arteta that he is a player the Gunners should sign.

Speaking in 2022, Henry said: “At times, Sane would play, and he would play for the sake of playing. You have to want to put up numbers and kill the defender. I see that in his eyes now.

“He’s not the same young kid that was at Manchester City. I think he understood something, but he needs to carry on like that. He needs to learn how to kill and he’s doing that right now.”

In the 2023/24 season in the Bundesliga, Sane scored eight goals and created 11 more in 27 appearances, making a decisive contribution every 112 minutes for Bayern.