"Thrown his career away": criticism of ex-Bayern star Sané continues | OneFootball

The surprising departure of Leroy Sané to Galatasaray Istanbul continues to make waves. For Rafael van der Vaart, once a playmaker at Hamburger SV, Real Madrid, and Tottenham Hotspur, the transfer is a mistake—and a symbol of a disappointing career development. In an interview with ran, the Dutchman had strong words.

Sané's contract with FC Bayern was set to expire on June 30, 2025. Instead of extending it, the 29-year-old decided to move to Turkey. A decision that leaves van der Vaart completely baffled: “I find Sané's development simply unfortunate. He has thrown away his career himself.”

Instead, the former professional is placing his hopes on the new star in Munich's offense: Luis Diaz. The Colombian is, for him, “a fighter who gives everything every minute”—and compared to Sané, “already an upgrade.”

Diaz as a Reinforcement – Bayern with Title Chances

Photo: Getty Images

With Diaz, whom Bayern signed from FC Liverpool for nearly 75 million euros, van der Vaart also sees great potential for the record champions internationally: “Why not?” he responded to the question of whether FCB could win the Champions League. “I always find comparisons with other teams difficult. All top teams have a good level. But to win the Champions League, you also have to be mentally top-notch.”

Recent history has shown that being favorites is often deceptive: “After last season and the Champions League triumph, everyone thought Paris was unbeatable. And then they almost lost the Supercup against Europa League winners Tottenham. At the Club World Cup, they even had to suffer a defeat against FC Chelsea in the final.”

Bayern Hard to Assess

Despite his title prediction, van der Vaart also sees fluctuations with the Munich team. “Overall, FC Bayern is very hard to assess. Sometimes they play well, then they have problems again, like recently in the DFB-Pokal in Wiesbaden. It's a bit of back and forth.”

For the 42-year-old, it is clear: With Diaz, Bayern has signed a player who can fill the gap left by Sané and even achieve more. But whether it will be enough for the big breakthrough will also depend on the team's consistency.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.