Pep Guardiola is hopeful Manchester City can agree a new deal to keep Leroy Sane at the Premier League champions for “many, many years”.
Guardiola revealed in October the club were in contract discussions with the winger, whose recent performances have been outstanding.
There have been no public updates since but, with the 22-year-old already committed until 2021, City boss Guardiola insists there is no rush.
Guardiola, who has had no personal involvement in the negotiations, said: “I don’t have any info about the club, about (there) being trouble with Leroy. The last info I had was that it’s going well.
“But the process is not one day. (With) Raheem Sterling it was not one day. Except for Kevin De Bruyne, which was done in one or two days, the other ones sometimes take longer. Hopefully he can stay here for many, many years.”
Guardiola feels the set-up at City will help keep their prize assets out of the hands of Europe’s biggest clubs.
He said: “Barcelona and Real Madrid are able to buy these players but they are comfortable. We try to keep these players, like every club. We try because they are young, that’s why we want to keep them.
“Kevin (De Bruyne), Raheem (Sterling), Leroy, Gabriel (Jesus) and (John) Stones, they have Europe in front of them. They like to stay here.”
Sane, who joined City from Schalke in 2016, maintained his recent high standards with a starring role in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat of Bournemouth.
The German has roared back to form after the disappointment of missing out on selection for the World Cup and a slow start to the current campaign. Sane did not start any of City’s opening four Premier League games and had his attitude publicly questioned by Germany team-mate Toni Kroos.
Guardiola has maintained a balanced view of the player. He refused to criticise the player earlier in the season and is not getting carried away by his current form.
As he has with another form player, Sterling, Guardiola has continued to demand more.
He said: “He was incredible last season but I don’t like to say too many times to the players how good they are in this moment because the season is too long. We are only in the third (day) of December.
“There are many games to play and it’s the same with Raheem, I have a feeling he can do better.
“Many things he can do better but, with his age and the potential he has, we are delighted to have him here and (with) the way he is playing lately.”
