The national player will probably never have to pay for his dinner in Istanbul, Podolski predicts. Sané is an opportunity for the entire league.
Lukas Podolski knows Galatasaray Istanbul well – and predicts a life as a folk hero in Turkey for Leroy Sané. “Leroy can prepare himself to leave his lira at home in the safe when he wants to go out for dinner in the evening,” Podolski told Sport Bild about his former national team colleague: “As a Gala star, he will be invited wherever he goes. The main courses will just fly around his ears.”
Sané even has an exceptional status among the Gala stars after his move from FC Bayern to the Turkish record champion. “Leroy is certainly the king transfer at Gala,” said Podolski: “He is not only the new top star there, but in the entire league. The fans are proud that he is now part of their club. They are grateful for that and will show him that too.”
Einst zusammen für den DFB: Podolski (r.) und Sané
Podolski, who played for Galatasaray from 2015 to 2017, even sees the commitment as an opportunity for the entire Süper Lig. “Turkey has the stamp that they can only sign top players when their careers are coming to an end. The league has to free itself from that,” he said: “The transfer of Leroy is a good start to bring in players who still want to achieve a lot athletically – and can.”
“The club has a few million left over”
After five years in Munich, Sané turned down the offer to extend his contract, and in Istanbul he should now earn a double-digit million amount annually. “The club has money because it sold the old training grounds and has a few million left over,” said Podolski: “With the money they are currently putting into the team, the club now wants to achieve more than just winning the Süper Lig. Something is developing at Galatasaray.”
Podolski considers the title in the Champions League to be “overambitious”, but “getting into the last 16 and surviving the league phase is definitely possible”.