Guardiola admits price is stalling City’s move for Sane

LONDON — Pep Guardiola has admitted Manchester City’s move for Leroy Sane (picture) is stalling because of the price of the Schalke star.

City have confirmed they have opened talks for the midfielder but there is a significant difference in valuations. Schalke are asking for £42 million (S$75 million) for the 20-year-old but that is beyond where Guardiola is prepared to go.

Earlier in the summer there were suggestions Sane would be available for £30 million, although City have offered no indications as to the size of their first offer.

“Sane is still a player of Schalke,” said Guardiola after his first game in charge of City against Bayern Munich last night.

“We have talked to him and Schalke know that we are interested in him but at this minute we do not have many possibilities to get him.

“There is a difference between City and Schalke and it is quite big. I do not know what is going to happen but right now he is with Schalke.”

Guardiola’s City managerial debut ended in a 1-0 defeat, a young side succumbing to a 75th-minute winner from Erdal Ozturk. It would need artistic licence to describe Guardiola’s return to the Allianz Arena as “emotional” as it was a low-key game. The German club erected a banner saying “Welcome Back” in the visiting dressing room — a classy touch.

Yet when Guardiola took his seat in the dugout the fanfare was minimal, aside from a swarm of photographers relishing the novel sight of him in the away section. There was a sheepish wave and that was it.

Despite the losing start, Guardiola is unperturbed.

“We’ve only been together for two weeks and we are still learning,” he said. “It is all still very new.” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH