Manchester United have reportedly been handed a massive boost in their pursuit of Renato Sanches, with the player open to leaving Bayern Munich
Italian publication Calciomercato have reported that Renato Sanches is eager to leave Bayern Munich after just one season, thereby giving Manchester United a huge boost in their pursuit of the player. Juventus are also interested in signing the Portuguese midfielder in the summer transfer window.
Sanches was the single hottest property in Europe last summer when a host of clubs across Europe made a beeline for him. The interest in player grew after he enjoyed a sensational campaign with Benfica in the 2015/16 season at the nascent age of just 17.
The season was then followed by a remarkable Euro 2016 campaign in which Sanches played a key role in Portugal’s shock triumph. One year on, however, things have gone heavily pear-shaped for the 19-year-old as he has failed to justify the enormous hype that was building around him last summer.
In the recently concluded campaign, Sanches was a bit part player for Bayern – despite the heavy expectations – as he was below the likes of Xabi Alonso, Arturo Vidal, Joshua Kimmich and Thiago Alcantara in the pecking order.
As a result, he made just 25 appearances in all competitions for the Bavarian giants, failing to score a single goal or provide an assist. With Bayern signing Corentin Tolisso this summer as well, the teenager’s prospects of becoming a regular are set to be dented further.
Sanches, however, is keen to secure regular game time in order to resume the development that saw him being regarded as one of the most promising midfielders in Europe. Meanwhile, a tough debut campaign for Bayern doesn’t seem to have killed the interest in Sanhches, with Manchester United and Juventus in hot pursuit of the player.
Manchester United, in fact, have been following Sanches’s progress for a long time now, with manager Jose Mourinho a huge admirer of the player’s talents as well. The Portuguese tactician is keen to bolster his option in midfield this summer, with Michael Carrick in the twilight years of his glittering career.
At Juventus, meanwhile, Massimiliano Allegri has the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Stefano Sturaro, Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira as his options in midfield. But with veteran midfielders Marchisio and Khedira being regularly hit by injury woes, the Italian manager is keen to make reinforcements.
The problems at both clubs can potentially open the doors for Sanches to play regular first-team football again. And at 19, the player has his best years well ahead of him, potentially making him a long-term solution for both clubs.
Juventus are also ready to signing Sanches on a one-year loan with the option to buy him next season, although that would drive down his transfer fee, an instance Bayern aren’t open to. It now remains to be seen which way he heads off to, with a summer exit from the Allianz Arena looming large.
