Leroy Sane has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to join Liverpool in favor of Manchester City, where he would become one of Pep Guardiola’s first signings in 2016, in a contract valued at £37million.
According to The Guardian, Sane discussed how Jurgen Klopp, then-manager of Liverpool, also expressed interest in bringing him to Anfield. He acknowledged the conversations with Klopp, describing the Liverpool boss as “a good guy, nice guy, honest.”
Despite this, Sane chose to move to City, where he quickly became a key figure in Guardiola’s squad, playing a pivotal role in their historic 2017/18 Premier League title win as part of the Centurions. In an interview with The Guardian, Sane explained how Guardiola influenced his development, telling the German winger to “play with freedom like [Lionel] Messi, not like Messi – it’s impossible.”
Sane elaborated on this advice, saying:
“I had to find my confidence. Pep told me to play with freedom like Messi, not like Messi – it’s impossible. Be free like Messi, have fun, do things like he wants from a striker like the end of the space [near goal] – take the option to shoot or give an assist.”
The winger’s time at City saw him make 135 appearances, scoring 39 goals and providing 43 assists, contributing to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and three League Cups. However, Sane made the decision to return to Germany in 2020, joining Bayern Munich, where he has continued to enjoy success, winning three Bundesliga titles.
Despite his achievements at Bayern, Sane has not been able to replicate his explosive form from his time at City, and this season, he has largely been used as a substitute under manager Thomas Tuchel.
With his contract at Bayern set to expire next summer, Sane has been linked with a Premier League return, with both Manchester City and Liverpool reportedly monitoring his situation, alongside interest from Manchester United.
The winger’s future remains uncertain, but his decision to join City over Liverpool back in 2016 has had a significant impact on both clubs’ trajectories, particularly in the context of the Premier League rivalry between Guardiola’s City and Klopp’s Liverpool.
