Sané open to Schalke return?

Sané, who now plays for Galatasaray, initially joined Schalke in 2005 as a nine-year-old and, after a three-year youth stint with Bayer Leverkusen, returned to the Ruhr outfit in 2011. He went on to make his professional debut for Schalke in 2011, featuring 57 times in all competitions before moving to Manchester City in England.

Now, the forward has revealed he could imagine a move back to where it all began in the future, telling Sky Sports, “I had a great time there. Playing at the Veltins Arena was always a lot of fun – it was my first step in professional football. That's why I'm basically open to anything. That would be a nice story, of course. We'll see where my path leads me. If an opportunity arises at some point, I'd certainly be open to it."

Sané switched to Bayern Munich from Man City in 2020 and spent the next five years there, winning countless trophies, including four Bundesliga titles, during his 223 outings for the record champions. Despite seeking pastures new in Turkey during the summer, the 29-year-old has good memories from his time at Bayern, and has plenty of praise for head coach Vincent Kompany – who he shared a dressing room with at City - in particular.

“He's very direct and has a clear vision of football. You can see that now: he has a clear structure, a philosophy, and knows exactly what he expects from himself and the team. He's a true leader, and that's contagious – everyone wants to follow along. After his magnificent playing career, he's sure to have a magnificent coaching career as well. I'm very happy for him."

So far this campaign, Sané has three goals and two assists in all competitions for his new club. At international level, he was last called up to a Germany squad in June, playing against Portugal in the UEFA Nations League semi-final defeat. National team head coach Julian Nagelsmann has discussed his omission from recent squads, saying that the player “must deliver more” if he wants to add to his 70 caps.

Sané, though, claims he has a good relationship with Nagelsmann - once his coach at Bayern - and has not given up hope of featuring for Germany at the 2026 FIFA World Cup should they qualify. “I hope that when things are going well for me again, I'll be invited back. I want to repay that trust with my performance – he's always supported me, and I'm grateful for that."

Watch: All of Leroy Sané's Bundesliga goals

“The World Cup is a big goal for me. I'll do everything I can to perform at my best and show that Julian Nagelsmann has to take me. I'm making sure my entire game is on point. That's my goal."