ISTANBUL (DPA, CONVERSEER) – Winger Leroy Sané was warmly welcomed by hundreds of fans in Istanbul early on Thursday as he arrived ahead of a transfer to Turkish record champions Galatasaray.
The 29-year-old German, whose contract with Bayern Munich expires on June 30, spoke briefly about his expected transfer after arriving at the airport.
Sané said the passionate crowd he faced in Istanbul as an away player left a lasting impression and played a role in his decision to join Galatasaray. “The atmosphere was outstanding. It was very, very loud,” he said.
Wearing a Galatasaray scarf and cheered by fans chanting his name, he added: “It’s already loud here, so I can’t wait to play my first home game in front of the fans.”
Galatasaray streamed his arrival live on their official YouTube channel. On the airport steps, Sané answered questions from Turkish reporters in German with the help of a translator.
Asked whether other Turkish clubs had shown interest and why he chose Galatasaray, Sané said: “There were a few clubs interested, but the overall package – the atmosphere, how much the club wanted me, how much the fans wanted me – ultimately convinced me to say, ‘okay, I’m coming to Galatasaray.’ I want to achieve a lot with this club.”
Meanwhile, Bayern flew to the United States on Tuesday for the Club World Cup. Sané is still on the team list for the tournament, as his contract with the club runs through a possible round of 16 match.
Sané joined Bayern from Manchester City in 2020 on a €50 million ($57.1 million) transfer. The German international has been one of Bayern’s top earners and reportedly refused a significant pay cut during tough negotiations.