How Schalke's Leroy Sane Would Fit in at Manchester City

So far—and it is, of course, early days—it’s been a rather static transfer window. The Copa America and 2016 UEFA European Championship are now over, but they have taken up the attention of the football world and restricted the movement of players.

Negotiations are seen as a distraction during a major tournament and agents are instructed to put deals on hold. 

Manchester City, then, have done well to make the signings they have. Ilkay Gundogan was lined up early and signed for around £20 million, a fee that could prove a bargain if he manages to fully recover from the dislocated kneecap that currently has him sidelined.

Nolito, too, has arrived for £13.8 million, a player hardly set to get the pulses racing among supporters but one who, for the price, represents a sensible piece of business.

City need players comfortable in possession who understand how to press as Pep Guardiola looks to implement his style of football at the club. Nolito, 29, may not be a world-class operator—but he will fit neatly into Guardiola’s approach and help with the shift to a new kind of football. 

Aside from that, Oleksandr Zinchenko has signed from FC Ufa, but he is likely to be classed as a "development player." He's a promising young star who needs a loan move, preferably to a side in the Champions League, to continue his progression. Anyone who saw the 19-year-old in action at this summer’s Euros with Ukraine will know that City have captured a player with excellent potential.

There are still a number of gaping holes in City’s squad that need filling, though, and landing big names at decent prices looks tough in the current market. City need a centre-back, and there’s a dearth of world-class talent in that area across Europe.

Aymeric Laporte rejected the chance to move to City and opted instead to stay at Athletic Bilbao, while the chase to land John Stones from Everton is ongoing, per Phil Thomas of the Sun. That, surely, is a priority position for Guardiola.

One deal that could progress quickly in the coming days, however, is the signing of Leroy Sane from Schalke. According to James Ducker writing in the Telegraph, both City and Schalke are keen for Sane to make a speedy decision on whether to move, and with his Euros involvement now over, nothing stands in the way of negotiations.

City want to finalise their squad plans as quickly as possible, with a game against Bayern Munich kicking off their pre-season plans in just over a week, before a trip to China to continue their fine-tuning. History tells us City prefer to get their business done early, with last-minute trolley dashes avoided at all costs. They will want as many of their targets in place before they head to China in order to give Guardiola as much time as possible to work with his squad.

Boris Streubel/Getty Images

And it’s in Schalke’s best interests to get a decision from Sane, too. Christian Heidel, the club’s new sporting director, won't want to be burned in the same way predecessor Horst Heldt was by the loss of Julian Draxler last summer. Draxler’s move to Wolfsburg was finalised on deadline day, leaving the club with no time to find a replacement. If Sane is to make the switch, he needs to make his mind up soon to leave the Bundesliga side with time to make contingency plans.

Heidel recently told Bild he wants a quick decision. "Leroy Sane has to make a fundamental decision regarding his future after the Euros," he said, as reported by David Anderson in the Mirror. "FC Schalke 04 needs a certain planning security."

A fee of £40 million is being mooted—a significant outlay for a 20-year-old with only 57 senior club appearances to his name. However, everyone is having to recalibrate their understanding of value in the market in light of the new Premier League TV deal. English clubs are now paying a premium like never before, and young talent such as Sane, who Schalke, ideally, wouldn't want to lose, are set to cost more than ever before.

Guardiola sees Sane as a player who can have a huge impact. He is incredibly quick and capable of operating in a number of roles, providing creativity and urgency. Primarily a right-sided forward, he can also play more centrally. It’s that kind of versatility that is likely to appeal to Guardiola most—a manager who values a player's ability to move effortlessly into different roles on the pitch.

"I’ve never been worried about having a small squad," Guardiola told Fifa back in 2011. "In fact, being a little short on options is probably better for us than having a lot, especially as I’ve got players with so much quality to call on. I’ve got complete faith in the team, and my philosophy is that there’s a solution to every problem.

"Whenever there’s a potential problem I’ll always look at the alternatives I’ve got in the first team and even among the youngsters."

Guardiola is a huge fan of Sane’s ability. As recently as November, in the build-up to Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga game with Schalke in Gelsenkirchen, Guardiola was effusive in his praise of the winger. "Sane is a huge talent and I can only congratulate Germany to have a talent like him," he said, as reported by Stefan Coerts at Goal.

Sane has throughout his career adapted brilliantly to the big stage. His rise since coming into Schalke's first team back in 2014 has been rapid. He scored on his Champions League debut in a memorable 4-3 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, and he then scored in his first Bundesliga start a few days later. 

In 2015/16, he finished the Bundesliga season with eight goals and six assists in 33 appearances as Schalke finished fifth. 

In total, he's scored 13 goals in 57 appearances for the club and already has four caps for Germany. His pace is electric, he frightens defenders with his willingness to run at them, and there's a fearlessness running through his game. 

He isn't the finished product, and Guardiola will need to hone his talent, but he's a fine prospect who could push the likes of Jesus Navas, Samir Nasri and Raheem Sterling for game time. 

City may struggle to land genuinely world-class players in their prime this summer, such is the nature of the market. A player like Sane, who has the potential to make an impact at the top, may represent their best route to improving the squad and returning them to the summit of the English game. 

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and follows the club from a Manchester base. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.