Barcelona have reportedly turned their attention towards 23-year-old Portuguese international Renato Sanches over a possible loan move this summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication AS, Barcelona’s pursuit of Saul Niguez is getting more complicated by each passing day. As a result, the Catalan giants have turned their attention towards 23-year-old Portuguese forward Renato Sanches, who could arrive at Camp Nou on a loan deal this summer.
Renato Sanches was once heralded as one of the brightest young players in Europe when he won the Golden Boy award in 2016. However, a move to Bayern Munich did not work out, with the player failing to make his mark at the Allianz Arena. The ill-fated spell with the Bundesliga giants came to an end in the summer of 2019, when he joined Lille and Sanches has resurrected his career.
To date, the 23-year-old has made 59 appearances for Les Dogues, while chipping in with five goals and as many assists. At the same time, Sanches has also reclaimed his place in the Portuguese national squad while having played a role in Lille’s shock Ligue 1 triumph last season. His progress has duly been noted, with Barcelona among his potential suitors.
Barcelona have been in the market for a midfielder this summer and initially wished to snap up Georginio Wijnaldum following the expiration of his contract with Liverpool. However, the Dutch international chose to join Paris Saint-Germain, with the Blaugrana scouring for alternatives since then.
In recent week, Saul Niguez had emerged as a viable target for the Catalan outfit and there were claims that the Spaniard could be a part of a part-exchange deal involving Antoine Griezmann. However, the pursuit of the 26-year-old is now getting complicated, as Barcelona are struggling to reach an agreement with Atletico Madrid over the aforementioned deal.
As a result, Barcelona have had to set their sights elsewhere in search of a midfield reinforcement, with Sanches also being viewed as a potential target. As per the report, the deal for the 23-year-old will initially be a loan while giving Barcelona the obligation to sign him permanently next summer.
Such a move could work in Barcelona’s favour as they could potentially sort out their finances by the time the transfer window reopens next summer to secure the services of Sanches permanently. However, with Liverpool also keen on signing the 23-year-old Portuguese international, Barcelona will need to move quickly to land him and it remains to be seen if a loan move sees the light of the day.
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