Heidel: Leroy Sane wants to leave

Speaking after Schalke's 13-0 friendly win against Wanne-Eickel in Herne, a town not far from Gelsenkirchen, Heidel told Germany's Sky Sports News that Sane was hoping to leave the Royal Blues in the off-season.

"Leroy has made it clear he wants to leave this summer," Heidel said. "We have to accept this. From us, there's a clear statement on the matter, that we will consent to a transfer if the conditions are acceptable to Schalke. Because that is not currently the case, no transfer is pending."

Schalke are reportedly asking for 50 million euros ($55 million) for a club to poach their star prospect. Premier League giants Manchester City supposedly lead the hunt to sign 20-year-old forward. Heidel denied any official negotiations for Sane.

"We are not in any final negotiations," Heidel said. "Either we'll reach a deal or we won't - and I can only stress that we can live very well indeed with both scenarios. We never put Sane on the market or said he was for sale, and we could certainly imagine working for another season with him, with a really good player."

Still several suitors

Despite the interest from Manchester City, Sane's father and agent Souleyman Sane told Sky Sports in Germany Bayern Munich and Real Madrid were also in the running. The former Freiburg and Nuremburg forward said there is no destination yet for the Schalke prospect.

"I don't know what will happen with Leroy," Souleyman said to Sport1 Tuesday. "He is on holiday and will use it right now. Afterwards he will think about it."

Newly-appointed Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti has indirectly dismissed the possibility Sane will go to Bavaria. The Italian coach said at a press conference on Tuesday that his team was set for the oncoming season.

"Our team is very good, we have manned all our positions," said Ancelotti. "We don't need any new players for this season."

Unproven, but unprecedentedly expensive

Should a club match Schalke's enormous asking price, Sane would be the most expensive transfer involving a German player. This is despite the fact the youngster has made fewer than 50 Bundesliga appearances in his career and has one substitute appearance in the Champions League.

He enjoyed a breakout 2015-16 season in the Bundesliga, scoring eight goals and assisting six more in 33 appearances, looking particularly strong before the winter break. He also got his first cap with the German national team, and made a brief substitute's appearance in the semifinals of European Championship against France.

Schalke may have already invested in Leroy Sane's replacement, signing Breel Embolo from Basel at the beginning of the transfer window. The Swiss teenager was Schalke's most expensive acquisition, costing the club a reported 27 million euros.

Should Sane move to England, it's likely that his father Samy and his younger brother Sidi, a 13-year-old currently in Schalke's renowned youth academy, would move with them. His elder brother plays too, but has not broken into the professional game.