Manchester City winger Leroy Sane, has revealed his admiration for the Middle East’s passion for football, as Abu Dhabi gets set to host the youth tournament sponsored by the club. .

This weekend 96 teams from around the world, many from the GCC, will take part in the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup at Zayed Sports City.

Sane, who was one of the star attractions when Manchester City FC were in the UAE capital last week, said tournaments such as this are helping quickly develop the game in the Middle East.

He said: “It is such a welcoming place to come as a footballer – there is knowledge and passion for the game and the kids especially love it so much.

“I have massively enjoyed seeing young players and fans in the region on the visit and it is all about getting them to play as much as possible with total enjoyment.

“I wish them all the best for the future and the skills and ideas they learn at a young age are so important.”

A total of 1344 players will take part in the tournament. One of the winning teams will get a trip of a lifetime to experience life at Manchester City’s training campus in Manchester.