Manchester City new boy Leroy Sané in profile
Monday, August 1, 2016
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Leroy Sané has left Schalke for Manchester City on a five-year deal. We track his ascent from "the boy with the palm-tree hairstyle" to the most expensive German player ever.
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Aged just 20, Leroy Sané is already one of the most talented wingers in German football. UEFA.com takes a closer look at Manchester City's new No19.
• Comes from a sporting family. His mother, Regina Weber, won bronze in rhythmic gymnastics at the 1984 Olympics. His father, Souleyman Sané, made his money as a professional footballer, though his son draws inspiration from other players. "Leroy's role models are Ronaldo and Messi," said Souleyman. "He doesn't have a single one of my shirts." Leroy's brothers Sidi and Kim, meanwhile, are also footballers. Kim spent last season with Nürnberg reserves, while Sidi is part of the Schalke academy.
• Leroy Sané took his first steps in football at SG Wattenscheid 09 before signing for Schalke in 2005. His former coach, Aytekin Samast, unearthed the talented winger early on. "He was physically ahead from a young age," said Samast. "The boy with the palm-tree hairstyle gliding up and down the pitch, it was incredible."
• Sané established himself in the Schalke starting XI under André Breitenreiter last season. He played 42 games in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing seven assists. "He picks things up intuitively and throws himself into training," said Breitenreiter. "Leroy's carefree nature sets him apart from others."
• Real Madrid experienced this laid-back attitude first hand in March 2015, when Sané made a sensational European debut. The youngster excited as a second-half substitute, scoring a goal and terrorising Pepe and Raphaël Varane in the Madrid defence. "I dribbled past some pretty good players out there," he said after the 4-3 win at the Santiago Bernabéu.
• Sané is most dangerous when he can break with pace and engineer one-on-one situations. He was the fifth-quickest player in the Bundesliga last season, registering a top speed of 34.97 km/h. "I got my pace from my father and the athleticism probably came from my mother," he said.
• Germany coach Joachim Löw has also been impressed by the winger. Sané made his senior Germany debut against France in November 2015. "He is quick, has great technique, looks for one-on-ones and is easy-going," said Löw, who took Sané to UEFA EURO 2016. He only made one short appearance, in the semi-final loss to hosts France, but if he continues to develop at the current rate it won't be long before he is a regular starter for the world champions.