Bayern Munich have reportedly made their move for Leroy Sane by already agreeing terms with the Manchester City winger and making an initial £35m bid for the German international.
Bayern's pursuit of the 24-year-old is a long-term one, and he walmost joined the German giants last summer before then suffering a serious knee injury in the Community Shield.
Sane has still been in Bayern's sights though, and German paper Sport Bild now say that they have already agreed to terms on a five-year deal with the player, before making an initial offer for City.
City paid £37m for Sane back in 2016, with a possible £11m more in add-ons across the terms of his contract, while Bayern were close to pulling the trigger on an £88m move last summer.
- Assessing Timo Werner's transfer future
- Inside the Bundesliga title race
- In-depth analysis: Jadon Sancho's amazing stats
Bayern believe though they can drive that price down thanks to several factors, not least the current uncertainty in football due to the coronavirus pandemic. Also, the fact that Sane's City contract expires next summer and he hasn't played for a year add to their argument that he's not worth anywhere near City's £70m valuation.
Former Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes has also been appearing in the media talking about the topic - and claiming Sane hasn't proved himself at the top level just yet.
"For me, he has not yet made a breakthrough to becoming an absolute top player," Heynckes said.
“I think this is a player at a crossroads. Will he keep working hard on himself or will he remain just as an exceptional talent?
“He has to be ready to make the next big step because there is no use in flashing the talent from time to time. I also honestly tell you that I don’t consider the price justifiable.”
Follow Sporting Life on social - find us on Facebook here or tweet @SportingLifeFC
Related football content
- Inside the Bundesliga title race
- Enjoy the incredible Sancho ride
- The Bundesliga Team of the Season
- Le Tiss: The ultimate one-club man
- When Liverpool last won the title...
- Laura Woods column: How's the bacon?
- The best sporting documentaries
- Paper Talk - latest transfer gossip
Responsible gambling
We are committed in our support of responsible gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
Sky Bet's responsible gambling tools are detailed here and if you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.
Further support and information can be found at GamCare and gamblingtherapy.org.