Leroy Sane provides unpredictability in the attack for Bayern Munich.
The relentless attack was the feature of Bayern Munich’s successful attack. The German champions were scoring goals for fun during the second half of the season. They won all their Champions League, scoring a mammoth 43 goals in 11 games.
Next season the attacking department is going to be even more lethal due to the arrival of Leroy Sane from Manchester City. Die Roten wanted to sign him last summer, but a serious knee injury postponed the transfer by 12 months.
After the departure of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, the weight of delivering in wider positions was on Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry. Ivan Perisic and Philippe Coutinho did arrive at the club on loan deals, but they were complimentary signings rather than being considered as main men in the final third.
Gnabry enjoyed a successful campaign, while Coman had an inconsistent campaign. However, both forwards provide one thing in every game- unpredictability. Both wide players can play at a good level on both flanks. Same can be said about Sane. Speaking to Kicker (via Bulinews), Sane opened up on his preferred position but stressed on the fact that he can play on both flanks.
"“I usually played on the left at City, but as a youth player and at Schalke, I played on the right.”“My favorite position is on the right-wing. I feel most comfortable there. But I have no problem with playing on the left.”"
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Sane refined his productivity in the final third at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola. He managed to score 39 goals and create 45 assists in 135 appearances for the English club. Sane’s in the wider positions will help to ease the scoring burden of Robert Lewandowski. (Stats courtesy: Transfermarkt)
The Polish striker scored 55 goals across all competitions, but when he struggled to find himself on the scoresheet, Gnabry found a way to score goals. With Sane and Gnabry on either flank, Lewandowski will also get more chances to score goals. Both wide players will also keep on switching positions, which will unsettle the best defensive units next season.
From the bench, Coman can make a serious impact. The Frenchman provides the width on the left flank, but he has shown in the past that he can switch to the right side if needed. His decision making has been inconsistent this season, but the goal in the final against Paris Saint-Germain will be a big boost for him. Moreover, competition in the squad will make him even better.
All three young wingers are versatile, so Hansi Flick will have a lot of flexibility and fluidity in the attack next season. If the club manages to sign Ivan Perisic permanently, then Flick will have another versatile wide player to his disposal.
The balance in the attacking department is crucial. Die Roten is close to achieving that after some smart moves in the transfer window. The treble win was superb, but this attacking force can help the German club to dominate Europe and Germany in the coming years.