Thierry Henry already made his thoughts on ‘best in Europe’ Leroy Sane known amid Arsenal transfer link

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Arsenal have been linked with a shock move for Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane.

Mikel Arteta worked with the Germany international during their time at Manchester City and could now be open to reconnecting with the forward.

It’s been reported that Arsenal are showing interest in Sane, who is out of contract at Bayern Munich in the summer, if a new deal cannot be struck.

The 29-year-old enjoyed four years at Man City, where he made a name for himself in England, contributing to 55 goals in 90 Premier League appearances.

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Thierry Henry saw a change in Leroy Sane after he left Manchester City

As a winger deployable on either the left or right side, the two-time Premier League winner should be turning heads at Arsenal.

That being said, some Arsenal fans aren’t overjoyed by transfer links to Sane, but one figure’s opinion could change that. 

In 2022, after Bayern Munich’s 2-0 win over Barcelona, Thierry Henry waxed lyrical about the change he’d noticed in Sane’s game.

“Ribery was a killer. Robben, he was there to hurt you, at times, Sane would play for the sake of playing,” Henry said on CBS Sports.

“You have to want to put up numbers and kill the defender. I see that in his eyes now…he’s not the same young kid that was at Manchester City.”

The Arsenal legend then explained what changes he’d noticed about Sane following his City exit.

“What I like about his goal is, when he gets the ball from Musiala, the way he accelerated and he didn’t stop. Sometimes, he lacks composure in front of the goal; he keeps the same pace throughout the whole chance.

“But [against Barcelona], he gets the ball and accelerates, then you need to slow down a tiny bit. He slowed down a tiny bit to finish, and, at times, he doesn’t always finish well. When he starts doing that, he will be up there with the best in Europe.”

The Frenchman’s opinion is interesting, given the demands Henry sent Gabriel Martinelli to improve his game.

Henry wanted to see more conviction and less predictability in Martinelli’s game, something he had lauded Sane for prior, insisting that the German could be considered as one of Europe’s best.

How Leroy Sane compares to Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal see Martinelli firmly in their plans for the future, but that doesn’t mean the Brazilian doesn’t need to up his game.

It’s been a testing season for Martinelli, who has been criticised for how predictable his play in the wide areas has been at times.

Though the 23-year-old has his faults, his output in the 2024/25 Premier League season was similar to Sane’s in the Bundesliga. 

The Arsenal star did play a lot more football than the rumoured transfer target, but with regard to goal contributions, their campaigns were comparable.

This makes the reservations of some Arsenal fans understandable, as the former Man City ace can’t be regarded as an upgrade on Arteta’s current wing options. 

What Sane could do, however, is bolster the squad depth for no cost, something that is desperately needed at the Emirates this summer.