Leroy Sane: Man City unwilling to let winger leave cheaply for Bayern

Sane has not featured for City since injuring knee ligaments in August

Manchester City would prefer to let winger Leroy Sane enter the final year of his contract rather than let him leave cheaply for Bayern Munich.

Bayern have been interested in Sane for 12 months, with the player understood to be keen to return to Germany.

Manager Pep Guardiola sees the 24-year-old as a key part of his squad, though.

While it is not out of the question City would sell if the price was right, speculation regarding a £35m bid from Bayern is understood to be wrong.

BBC Sport understands a bid in that region for Sane - who is ready to return after spending all season on the sidelines recovering from knee surgery - would be dismissed out of hand.

It is accepted that City would not currently be able to command the £100m they were looking for last summer, but they would still require a significant offer to consider selling a player who was a key figure in their 2017-18 Premier League title-winning squad.

City are understood to be relaxed about the situation and are happy to keep Sane next season if no deal is agreed.

Sane has not played since suffering knee ligament damage during the Community Shield in August.

He was close to a return when the Premier League season was stopped in March and it is anticipated the former Schalke winger will be fit to play if the campaign resumes as hoped in June.