Manchester City refusing to meet £41.7m asking price for Schalke’s 20-year-old starlet

Manchester City are reportedly refusing to meet the £41.7m price tag in order to land Germany international forward Leroy Sane this summer, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The Premier League side, who finished fourth in the English top-flight standings last term after pipping rivals Manchester United to the final Champions League spot, have been continually linked with a move for the highly-rated Schalke winger ahead of the forthcoming 2016/17 campaign.

New City boss Guardiola – Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

The 20-year-old, who has four international caps for his country and featured for Germany during this month’s European Championships in France, scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 42 appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga outfit last season.

Sane, who is understood to want to join the Etihad Stadium outfit this summer, is a top transfer target for new Citizens boss Pep Guardiola following his move from German champions FC Bayern Munich.

However the report suggests that City have balked at Schalke’s £41.7m (€50m) asking price, although they hope to reach a compromise with the German club for the young forward.