Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Leroy Sane Amid Manchester City Rumours

Barcelona are preparing to open their chequebook to battle Manchester City for the signature of Schalke starlet Leroy Sane, after once again sending scouts to watch the German in action.

The 20-year-old forward continues to be linked with elite clubs across Europe, per the Mirror’s Ed Malyon. New City manager Pep Guardiola is a known admirer of the youngster’s talent.

Sane, who made his international debut for Germany in November in the 2-0 defeat to France, has caught the attention of the Barca hierarchy, with sporting director Robert Fernandez in attendance for the German outfit’s 2-1 loss to Mainz on Friday, Malyon reported.

Sane's speed, direct dribbling style and balance enables the lightweight winger to play across either flank. Additionally, he has a powerful strike for a player seemingly still maturing, as demonstrated by his curling effort in Schalke’s 4-3 comeback victory over Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League in 2015.

Per Bild (h/t ESPN FC and Bleacher Report's Clark Whitney), Sane is open to a move to Barcelona this summer but could be persuaded to move to the Etihad Stadium, with City prepared to spend €55 million to capture one of Europe's most wanted.

Schalke remain aware of the interest surrounding their precocious talent and have recently denied reports suggesting Sane’s contract involves a £28 million release clause, per James Cambridge of the Daily Express.

Michael Probst/Associated Press

Transfer speculation increased in recent weeks due to another busy January transfer window, and Schalke boss Andre Breitenreiter previously claimed the interest could unsettle his player, per the Daily Mail's Stefan Bienkowski. 

"The buzz surrounding the boy is brutal," the Schalke coach told reporters. "I've been using every opportunity to be vigilant. Leroy is a cool guy, and how he has dealt with it is remarkable. But it won't go by him without a trace."

Bienkowski believes Sane still has some way to go before he becomes the finished article: 

Despite the suggested interest in Sane, Malyon believes Barca's priority for next summer will be to go in search of a top-quality, young central defender, while the formidable strike force of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar continue to produce such mesmerising football.

Another possible spoiler for the Catalan giants is their inability to match their Premier League rivals financially. Barca are struggling to find a lucrative shirt sponsorship that will allow them to keep up with the financial outlay of the top English clubs, per a separate Malyon article.

The MSN strike force have all been promised new lucrative contracts to avoid them straying away from the club, while long-time servant Sergio Busquets is also in talks regarding a possible new deal, per Malyon. That contract could be crucial after Busquets told ESPN Deportes (h/t Daily Mail's Tom Farmery) Pep Guardiola could entice him to leave Barcelona.

For Sane, his future remains unclear. The exciting playmaker signed a contract extension to 2019 last July, per Schalke's official website. However, the Gelsenkirchen club are renowned for their inability to keep future prospects at the club, with the likes of Julian Draxler, Ivan Rakitic and Manuel Neuer all departing the side in recent years.

Should considerable interest in Sane remain during the transfer window next summer, Schalke will be fortunate to escape without another star heading for the exit door.