Bayern Munich youngster and Manchester United target Renato Sanches was left out of the squad that faced Werder Bremen over the week in order to resolve his future ahead of a move away from the Allianz Arena, according to reports.
United were in advanced talks over the Portuguese starlet – who had just beaten Marcus Rashford to the European ‘Golden Boy’ award – back in 2016 but negotiations stalled amid uncertainty surrounding Louis van Gaal’s future. Bayern duly took advantage and swooped in to sign the teenager for €35m ahead of a Euro 2016 campaign that saw him dazzle for a triumphant Portugal side. Jose Mourinho noted soon after that, had he been appointed earlier, he would have fought to secure his services.
“I arrived late,” he said. “I signed in May, we started talking a week before, but completely out of the process. If I had arrived earlier, I’d fight for him.”
“Manchester United watched Renato many times and maybe I did it even more. In so much time at home, I watched many Benfica and Portuguese league games, I got to know the boy better with time.
“He’s in a a big club, in a league where he’ll certainly be the champion. The club have players of very high level which belong to the structure, a little like Benfica.”
As it was, he joined Bayern, but quickly ended up on the periphery of proceedings under Carlo Ancelotti. He only received a total of 615 minutes of Bundesliga action last season, managing just two starts since the turn of the year. Over the summer he has been linked with a move away, with Ancelotti noting that he would be open to letting the youngster move away on a loan basis to receive more minutes.
“If he stays, I’m satisfied,” he said. “If he goes, it’s okay no problem.”
And with Sanches, by dropping out of the squad, looking towards the exit door as the window enters its final week, perhaps Mourinho can finally bring him to Old Trafford for this season.
