German international Leroy Sané is facing intense scrutiny and stark warnings just months into his high-profile move to Turkish champions Galatasaray. The 29-year-old winger, who arrived from Bayern Munich for a reported £12 million fee this summer, has endured a surprisingly poor start, prompting speculation that he may have underestimated the competitive demands of the Süper Lig.
Sané’s lack of impact was magnified when he failed to play a single minute—not even coming off the bench—during Galatasaray’s recent UEFA Champions League victory over Liverpool, a clear sign of his diminished status under manager Okan Buruk. Despite the widespread expectation that the 70-cap international would dominate the Turkish league, his statistics show a disappointing return of just one goal in nine appearances across all competitions so far.
Warning from a Turkish Veteran
The alarm bells were amplified by former Turkish league player Alparslan Erdem, who made 86 career appearances across multiple Süper Lig clubs. Speaking to Bild, Erdem issued a strong caution to the former Manchester City and Bayern Munich star.
“I think Sané underestimated it a bit,” Erdem stated. “He may think that [Galatasaray] can be done without one hundred percent, but football is not like that. No matter where you play, if you’re not one hundred percent fit, it happens very quickly and you’re suddenly in the second division. He has to be careful.”
Erdem suggested that fitness is the primary issue, noting that Sané’s exclusion from the crucial Champions League match was telling. He drew a parallel with former teammate Hakim Ziyech, who also initially struggled with conditioning. “Galatasaray also had players like Hakim Ziyech… but he wasn’t fit enough either. Very quickly they let him go. It just didn’t work.”
The İlkay Gündoğan Influence
Amid the criticism, Erdem pointed to a potential source of stabilization within the Turkish camp: veteran midfielder İlkay Gündoğan.
“I think İlkay Gündoğan will help him a lot because İlkay is a leader. He’ll do it,” Erdem concluded.
Gündoğan, known for his professionalism and leadership, could prove essential in guiding Sané to regain the fitness, focus, and drive required to deliver on his significant potential and silence the growing chorus of critics in Istanbul.
