Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar is full of praise for Renato Sanches with the one-time Arsenal and Wolves target thriving at the Ligue 1 champions, speaking to DAZN.
On the final day of the 2021 summer transfer window, the Portugal international came within touching distance of joining Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan after inspiring Lille’s most unexpected of title successes.
That was, of course, until Les Dogues demanded a £25 million purchase clause to be included in Sanches’ contract. Wolves wasted little time in walking away from the negotiations (Mais Futebol).
Some 12 months on, with the one-time Swansea City flop now starting to make his mark alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Marco Verratti and Kylian Mbappe in a star-studded PSG squad, Bruno Lage may be wishing he could turn back the clock.
“Renato Sanches,” the in-form Neymar said when asked to name one player who has caught his eye during half a decade on French soil.
“He’s very different as a player and a very good one. We’re lucky to have him with us here. We’re better now.”
Paris Saint-Germain paid just £12 million for Lille ace Renato Sanches
Wolves are not the only Premier League club who baulked at Sanches’ hefty price-tag a year ago. Arsenal, per Gazzetta dello Sport, also walked away from a deal. Then again, you could probably understand their reticence.
Sanches, after all, had endured a torturous couple of years after exploding onto the scene during Portugal’s victorious Euro 2016 campaign. A relentless series of injuries, plus that ill-fated spell in South Wales, understandably had quite a negative impact on Sanches’ once glittering reputation.
But, at the age of just 25 and with those fitness issues behind him, one of the game’s most naturally talented midfielders is certainly making up for lost time in the French capital.
“He is a player with qualities that others do not have,” says PSG coach Christophe Galtier; reunited with his former Lille talisman at the Parc des Princes. “He is very explosive and rhythmic. There was an opportunity to sign a player who knows French football and plays at a very high level. We obviously seized this opportunity.
“Renato is a completely different player because of his explosiveness and his ability to break the lines.”
PSG landed Sanches for just £12 million with just one year remaining on his Lille contract.
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