Only rarely do we get the chance to see a player go from a relatively unknown prospect, even in his own native country, to one of the most sought-after talents in the game. But such has been the fairytale of Renato Sanches, Benfica’s 18-year-old midfielder, who kept scouts flocking to the Estadio da Luz for the duration of the campaign before completing a shock move to Bayern Munich.
Sanches is the man of hour in Portugal, and his meteoric rise has already earned him his first international cap. The young midfielder could very well be part of the Selecao’s Euro 2016 squad, despite his lack of top-flight experience, and before his move to the Allianz Arena was announced, he was linked to many of Europe's biggest clubs, including Manchester United.
Since October 30, when he came on as a late substitute in Benfica’s 4-0 victory at Tondela, Sanches has passed every test with flying colours and helped to revitalise a team that appeared to be destined to fail under new coach Rui Vitoria just weeks into the season.
If Jorge Jesus were still around, it would have been practically impossible for Sanches to even break into the first team, but the arrival of Vitoria – who, unlike his predecessor, places an emphasis on nurturing homegrown talent – has given players like Sanches, Nelson Semedo and Goncalo Guedes the opportunity to prove their worth. And Benfica have reaped the rewards.
Just as impressive as Sanches’s talent are his maturity and his ability to play in a variety of midfield roles. He feels at home when deployed as a box-to-box man, but he can also play as a holding midfielder or as a true No. 10 if needed.
Displaying incredible levels of confidence, which is something truly rare for someone of his age, the 18-year-old often drives the team forward, and he is not afraid to try his luck from distance. His stunning 35-yard strike against Academica was a warning shot to Bayern before the sides met in the Champions League quarter-finals, with the Germans sneaking through 3-2 on aggregate.
Although he was unable to make a telling impression over those two matches, in which he played the full 180 minutes, he did enough to persuade the German outfit that he can be a big success in Bavaria.
But Sanches is not free from criticism himself. His aggressive approach often results in rash tackles, and on several occasions this season he has been lucky to avoid a red card. Another weakness to his game is that his passing tends to grow erratic as he attempts to launch counterattacks.
“Sanches is by far one of the best young players in Europe,” Guardiola told Goal at his pre-match press conference prior to the Benfica fixtures. “It is not easy for an 18-year-old to play for a club’s main team. He has a bright future ahead of him. I do not know how long he will stay at Benfica.”
Pep may have had an inkling that Bayern were after the teenager, even at that early stage, and no doubt the Spaniard will be glad that their paths will not cross in the Premier League, where he will take charge at Manchester City in just a few weeks.
Manchester United's loss is certainly Bayern's gain.
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- Goal