Renato Sanches has got his move away from Bayern Munich as the Portuguese midfielder completes a transfer to Lille.
Bayern Munich has made numerous changes to their squad this summer. Several veteran players have been released by the club while some players have sealed a permanent transfer away from Die Roten. Renato Sanches is the latest player to leave the Bundesliga champions.
Sanches completed a move to Lille on Thursday and signed a four-year deal with the French club. The two clubs have not disclosed the transfer fee, but Kicker believes that Lille will pay €20 million to Bayern for the Portuguese midfielder. This report also insists that the transfer fee will increase if certain bonuses are triggered in the future.
Earlier this week, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge opened the exit door for Sanches after the arrivals of Mickael Cuisance and Philippe Coutinho. Lille moved swiftly and completed a deal before there is a bidding war for the Portugal international.
Bayern Munich beat several top European clubs in 2016 to sign Sanches from Benfica. The Portuguese midfielder enjoyed a breakthrough 2015/16 season with Benfica and went on to win the Golden Boy award that season.
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However, the dream transfer didn’t go the way Sanches would have hoped. In his first season, he struggled to get playing time under Carlo Ancelotti. Moreover, he struggled to stamp his authority in the limited games that he started under the Italian manager.
Die Roten improved their midfield options in 2017 and decided to loan Sanches to Swansea City. This loan transfer turned out to be a disaster for the young midfielder. He struggled to get accustomed to the Premier League. Frequent injuries sidelined him for the most of 2017/18 campaign.
Sanches’ future looked bleak at Bayern when he returned from his loan spell at Swansea. However, Niko Kovac was eager to get the best out of him and urged him to stay at the club. The 2018/19 season started positively for Sanches as he delivered impressive performances, but couldn’t get a sustained run in the starting eleven.
The Portuguese midfielder vented his frustration regarding the limited gametime on numerous occasions. He was determined to get a permanent transfer from Die Roten this summer. Kovac again convinced him to stay at the club, but last week’s outburst from Sanches and new signings made sure that he gets his wish as soon as possible.
Sanches still has time on his side despite losing some of the crucial years of development. His time at Bayern was filled with trophies, but on a personal note, he might consider it as an underwhelming stay in Germany. He lost his place in Portugal national team during his time at Die Roten. Joining Lille at this stage of his career could help him to regain his form and confidence that made him one of the most exciting young players in Europe.