REPORT: Leroy Sane’s agent met with Bayern Munich representatives last week

Bayern Munich is still very keen on signing Leroy Sane during this winter’s transfer window. The squabbles from this past summer’s transfer window due to the midfielder’s ACL injury caused Bayern to rearrange their transfer plans, but they’re ready to go back to the negotiating table in the winter even though Sane likely won’t be able to play until at least March 2020.

Per a new report from SportBild, Sane’s agent has recently met with a representative from Bayern Munich to discuss details for a potential winter move from Manchester City. The meeting was reportedly with Giovanni Branchini, an Italian agent who has very close ties to Bayern. Last week, he met with David Gardner to push for Sane’s move to Bayern, and he would act as an intermediary in the deal if and when it takes place. It was also reported that, at the request of Bayern’s front office, Branchini was in attendance at Manchester City’s Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb last week at the Ethiad, which they won 2-0.

Sane is still under contract at City until 2021, so Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has stressed that Bayern would need direct permission from Manchester City to reopen discussions with Sane officially so as not to breach FIFA statutes — this is where Branchini could play an important intermediary role in the meantime. City still had not gotten Sane to agree to a contract extension, either, so if Bayern come in with a high enough bid in the winter, there shouldn’t, in theory, be any reason why a move doesn’t go through.

Sane’s representatives refused to comment on the new development, but from a Bayern perspective, it can be taken with a grain of salt that the negotiations have seemingly pressed on for Sane. The winter transfer window is just under three months away. An agreement in principle could also technically be reached prior to the opening of the window itslef, it’s important to remember.