Leroy Sane, Manchester City Reportedly Hold Contract Talks

Leroy Sane and Manchester City have reportedly started negotiations regarding a new contract, even though the forward's current deal runs for another two-and-a-half years.

According to the Telegraph's James Ducker, the Citizens want to add "at least a couple of seasons" to the deal as they continue their push to lock up the long-term futures of their brightest talents.

As Ducker detailed, Sane has had his issues this season and was dropped for the Newcastle United match over questions about his work ethic in training. He remains central to the team's plans, however, and is a star of the future.

The 22-year-old moved to Manchester from Schalke in 2016 and flashed his talent in his debut season, but the 2017-18 campaign revealed just what he was capable of. Despite his inexperience, he quickly became a crucial player for the Sky Blues, who broke the Premier League points record on their way to the title.

Sane's athleticism, vision and trickery proved a perfect fit for manager Pep Guardiola's intricate system, and he combined well with Raheem Sterling to give the team an exceptional one-two punch out wide.

His success didn't translate to the national team, as Sane failed to impress in the lead-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup and wasn't a part of the final squad as a result. He has since returned to the fold for Germany, but the criticism has continued in his native country:

City won't care one bit. The Sky Blues have worked hard at getting younger in the last few years, and Sane is arguably their top talent in attack. He and Sterling could be a lethal combination for years to come, feeding the ball to another rising star, Gabriel Jesus.

With more than two years left on his current deal, the English champions have plenty of time to come to an arrangement. These negotiations should be relatively painless unless another controversy follows, but Sane appears to have been on his best behaviour since the Newcastle match.

City's next outing will be on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium against Burnley.