German media had an interesting view on Leroy Sane’s performance on international duty amid links to Arsenal.
The 2025 summer transfer window is already heating up, putting pressure on Arsenal to identify and approach key targets.
One name linked to Arsenal is Sane, who is set to become a free agent this summer following his 2020 transfer from Manchester City to Bayern.
The winger is a player well appreciated in the Premier League, but that doesn’t mean he’d be the right capture for the Gunners.
Arsenal fans don’t want to see Sane at the Emirates this summer, and doubts over the 29-year-old’s suitability for Mikel Arteta’s project would’ve only grown as the June international break commenced.
German media react to Leroy Sane’s performance vs Portugal
Kai Havertz wasn’t in action for Germany against Portugal, but that didn’t deter German media from speaking about the Arsenal striker.
Though Havertz didn’t feature, some eagle-eyed supporters would’ve been watching the game to assess Sane’s performance against a Portuguese side littered with Premier League talent.
As Germany lost 2-1 to Portugal in an uninspired display, German media shared their verdict on Sane, who frankly flattered to deceive over 61 minutes of action.
- READ MORE: Every Arsenal transfer target called up for June international duty and how to watch them
BILD accused the Arsenal target of being ‘barely visible at first’, but noted that the winger did improve as the half went on, crediting him for ‘showing attacking drive’ before being hooked.
A similar assessment was provided by Frankfurter Rundschau, who admitted that despite bright spells, Sane didn’t have a ‘truly convincing’ performance.
| Leroy Sane vs Portugal |
| 61 minutes |
| 1 successful dribble |
| 14 successful passes |
| 3 key passes |
| 8x possession lost |
| 2 fouls committed |
RAN described the forward’s evening as ‘mixed’, noting that Sane ‘repeatedly found himself with plenty of space, which he rarely used’.
Both Sky Sports and Express were more brutal in their verdict on the man on Arsenal’s radar.
Sky said that the two-time Premier League winner ‘tries a lot on his flank and also works backwards’, admitting that Sane was unable to put his ‘stamp on the game’.
Express went as far as to say that Sane only gave his critics ‘new ammunition’ with his lacklustre performance.
“Another evening that gave his critics new ammunition. Good moments alternated with token moments. An assist for Goretzka was, in the end, not enough.”
Sane signing would be underwhelming
Available for free as a player with 55 Premier League goal contributions to his name, Sane is an appealing signing from the outside.
For Arsenal, however, there’s a feeling that Arteta should be aiming higher with reinforcements for his squad, particularly when assessing targets who have taken a similar path to Sane.
Raheem Sterling was once a powerhouse in the English top flight, but he is beyond his prime, and unfortunately, the same could be said about Sane.
German media weren’t entirely convinced by the Germany international’s performance against Portugal, signalling early concerns that the Gunners should have over their transfer pursuit.
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