Man City flier Leroy Sane targets start of 2020 for return as Bayern Munich eye transfer

LEROY SANE will get the green light to step up his recovery this week – and could be back in action by the turn of the year.

And that has sparked as many smiles in Munich as it has in Manchester, with Bayern still keen to take him back to Germany.

The City winger was initially expected to be out until March, after damaging cruciate ligaments in the Community Shield win over Liverpool.

But Sane, 23, is back in the gym and already leg pressing 20kg, and is set to get the nod for jogging and stability work after the international break.

Both his doctors in Germany and City’s conditioning staff are pleased with how quickly he is progressing and the player has told pals he is way ahead of schedule.

Bayern will also be delighted at the news, having publicly courted the former Schalke star all summer.

City were unimpressed at what they felt were efforts to unsettle him and let it be known Sane would cost a minimum of £138 million before they would consider business.

Pep Guardiola is keen to keep him, but talks on a five year, £180,000-a-week deal have not progressed since the injury.

Sane has so far stalled on an agreement for over 16 months, with two-and-a-half years left on his current £65,000-per-week contract.

Bayern want to see Sane is over his injury before trying their luck again – but City will not be rushed into a sale or a cut-price offer.