Following
his refusal to extend his City contract, Pep Guardiola has wished Leroy Sane
all the best as the Manchester City winger approaches a £54.8m transfer to
Bayern Munich.
The
German international will sign a five-year contract with the Bundesliga
champions, who will pay an initial fee of £44.7 million (49 million euros) with
a number of performances and trophy-related add-ons.
Sane, 24, has always been associated with a return back to Germany, which City has given up almost all hope of negotiating a new contract after nearly two years of talks.
Guardiola said: "There are still some little issues but it looks like he's going to go to Munich. We wish him all the best, big thanks for our years together. We wish him all the best in his new chapter at a fantastic club. "Is it disappointing? He wants to leave. Everyone has their own life. He deserves to move on. "I'd love him to stay here but he decided to move on because he believes he will be happier (in Munich).
After losing the Premier League title to Liverpool this season, City have a chance to prove a point against Jürgen Klopp’s side at the Etihad Stadium today.
Manchester City boss said: "In sport, you have to prove every time. "We are incredibly satisfied with what we have done and are doing, but with athletes that is never enough. "The past is the past, what we have done remains in our soul and memories but the show must go on."
Guardiola has a healthy respect for his Liverpool counterpart, Klopp, and the pair's rivalry is a friendly one.
Guardiola said: "I don't know him that well but I admire him and the way that his teams play football. "It is a benefit for the world, a positive to try to score a goal, and this kind of manager helps a lot. "He wants to win, I want to win but when it is finished the game is over. He's my colleague and of course I want to have a good relationship with managers.
In
the meantime, City has yet to learn where the return leg of the Champions League
knockout stages against Real Madrid will be played.
The match was to be played in Manchester, but it
has been suggested that it could be moved to Portugal if the competition
resumes in August.
Guardiola said: "We are going to play wherever UEFA decide to play. Hopefully Manchester but we don't know.
