Report: Liverpool linked with Renato Sanches as Wijnaldum replacement

[TLW]

Renato Sanches is the latest name to be linked to Liverpool as a possible replacement for Gini Wijnaldum.

 

The Reds midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and has been frequently linked with a move to Barcelona, but to this point has kept his cards close to his chest regarding any decision on his future.

 

There is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp, his teammates and a great majority of the fanbase would want the 30 year-old to sign a new deal such is the high regard that he is held in.

 

While there has been negotiations, seemingly no progress been made and therefore Liverpool would have contingency plans in place if he indeed departs.

 

The Mirror (via Le 10 Sport Witness) reports that the 23 year-old Portuguese star is on the top of the list replacements.

 

Sanches may be in the early part of his career, but he already has a great deal of European experience to his name.

 

Coming through the Benfica youth system and graduating to the senior team, he won a domestic double with The Eagles in the 2015/6 season as well a number of individual honours including the prestigious Golden Boy, which is a award given by sports journalists to a young footballer playing in Europe viewed to have been the most impressive during a calendar year.

 

Sanches also shone on the international stage as he was member of Portugal’s Euro 2016’s winning squad earning a lot of praise and claiming the Young player of the tournament.

 

 

His ascent was certainly noticed by Bayern Munich who signed him for around the £35 million mark. However, he did not settle well in his first season only making 25 appearances and not registering a single goal or assist. 

 

For the 2017/8 season he was sent to  Swansea City who were then in the Premier League, however a catalogue of leg muscle injuries put pay to any progress making only 15 appearances and once again his career was in limbo.

 

He then returned to Bayern and made another 27 appearances but knew he needed a fresh start.

 

Over the last season and a bit, he has found a settled home at French club Lille, earning a spot in the team of the season for 19/20 and starting the new campaign strongly before more muscle injuries saw him out of action.

 

The report states that Lille who currently sit atop the Ligue 1 table have been hit exceptionally hard  in a financial sense by COVID-19 crisis and could be willing to sell.

 

At Lille he has become much more versatile and with manager Christophe Galtier moving into a wide midfield position in contrast to his more central role that he had been used to at Bayern.

 

Those close observers of Sanches’ progress at Lille say he has a great deal of technical ability combined with aggression, work rate and elite athleticism.

 

What lets him down is a lack of concentration and poor decision making where he looks to take the more difficult option more often than not. 

 

While not the complete package as yet, Sanches looks a intriguing option if the need arises to buy a replacement for Gini.

 

 

 

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[aws]

Muscle injuries, you say? 

[Trumo]

If Sanches is under consideration as a new addition, it would be better if it was as a replacement for one of our less durable midfielders. I would rather keep Gini and look to replace either Naby or Ox, neither of whom have consistently offered enough on the pitch. With Ox though, you can tell he is important and valued behind the scenes. Naby is the one who really needs to step up.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

We should hire someone to smash his knees with hammers the day he arrives. As it stands, he only looks to be out 50% of the time. Gotta get those numbers up. Those are rookie numbers.

 

DO. NOT. WANT. ANY. MORE. CROCKS.

[johnsusername]

Isn't this lad a bit of a fraud? 

[VladimirIlyich]

If Klopp wants him,then fine. I trust Klopp to improve anybody he likes.