Lille midfielder Renato Sanches speaks about the difficulties he faced during his three-year stay at Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich bid farewell to numerous first-team players in summer. The German champions released some veteran players as they were entering the twilight of their careers. On the other hand, some players permanently left the club to get regular gametime somewhere else.
Renato Sanches decided to leave Bavaria as he was struggling to get regular minutes on the pitch. The Portuguese midfielder agitated for a move away from Die Roten throughout the summer. He expressed his frustrations publicly on numerous occasions this year.
The Bundesliga champions eventually agreed to grant his wish when they clinched the signings of Philippe Coutinho and Mikael Cuisance. Bayern reached an agreement with Lille in the penultimate week of the transfer window.
Sanches finally opens up about his difficult time in Bavaria. Speaking to RMC, the Portuguese midfielder said that a move to Bayern came too early in his career. The former Benfica midfielder believes that he is a much mature player now after his tough years in Bavaria.
"“In the first year, I did not adapt. I was not prepared because it was a quick change for me.I had only been professional for six months in Benfica. Suddenly, I went to one of the best clubs in the world.”“I think that today I am more mature than a few years ago, but on the pitch, I think I’m still the same player. I always have the same qualities and feel good.”"
More from Bayern Strikes
- Bayern Munich: Tactical takeaways from 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich: Kingsley Coman set to be fit for Manchester United clash
- Bayern Munich unlikely to move for Trevoh Chalobah in January
- Bayern Munich: Key lessons from draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich remains keen on hiring Max Eberl
The Portuguese midfielder also dismisses the rumors suggesting that he was unprofessional during his time at Bayern. Sanches admits that he was a good professional and led a normal life during his stay in Bavaria.
Bayern were thrilled when they beat competition from top clubs to sign Sanches from Benfica in 2016. The Portuguese midfielder struggled to get regular gametime under Carlo Ancelotti. Die Roten were not ready to give up on him quickly. The German club decided to loan him to Swansea City in 2017 so that he gets back his development on track.
However, the move to Premier League turned into a disaster as he struggled with injuries throughout the campaign. His performances for the Welsh club were also disappointing. The Portuguese looked set for another loan move, but Niko Kovac intervened and decided to keep him at the club last summer.
The Croatian gave him decent gametime at the start of last season. Sanches also repaid this faith from Kovac by delivering some impressive performances. Things took an ugly turn for him when pressure started mounting on Kovac. The former Frankfurt manager decided to stick with a fixed lineup for the second half of the season to get desirable results, limiting the opportunities for Sanches.
This summer was make or break for the Portugal international. He wanted to leave Die Roten permanently to get his career back on track. A move to Lille was ideal for all parties involved. Sanches will be hoping to get back to his best by getting regular gametime for the French club.