Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Lille OSC midfielder Renato Sanches, who is expected to be sold by the French club this summer.
The Catalan giants left the footballing world in shock as they were not able to re-sign Lionel Messi, who had become a free agent in July. Lionel Messi, 34, arguably the world’s best player, has been let go by Barcelona due to the financial turmoil that hasn’t yet allowed them to register the contracts of the four new signings —Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia, Emerson Royal and Sergio Aguero.
Nevertheless, it looks like Barcelona are set to continue their rebuild under Ronald Koeman and sign new players this summer.
According to French news outlet Le10 Sport, Barcelona have taken a step closer to signing midfielder Renato Sanches from defending Ligue 1 champions Lille OSC. Due to the LaLiga club’s financial problems, they could seek a loan-to-buy deal.
Renato Sanches to Barcelona — The right option for Koeman?
Renato Sanches, 23, has done extremely well to get his career back on track with Lille after the wretched spell with Bayern Munich. He was one of Lille’s best players last season, playing a crucial role behind the club’s Ligue 1 title triumph ahead of cash-rich Paris Saint-Germain. Despite an injury-hit campaign, he produced a goal and three assists in 23 Ligue 1 outings.
Barcelona have agreed terms with midfielder Renato Sanches, but have yet to agree a fee with Lille. (Le10 Sport) pic.twitter.com/cR11aD0eRq
— Transfer News Central (@TransferNewsCen) August 7, 2021
The box-to-box midfielder was one of the very few players from the Portuguese squad to come out with some credit following a disappointing Euro 2020. And now, Sanches is on the radar of some top clubs, but it looks like Barcelona have won the race for signature.
Barcelona were no way near good enough in the LaLiga last season, finishing third on the table behind Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Ronald Koeman continues to shape his squad ahead of the new season, and after reinforcing his defensive and attacking options, the Dutch tactician has seemingly shifted his focus towards solving the team’s midfield conundrum.
Miralem Pjanic is likely to leave Camp Nou after just a year, while youngster Ilaix Moriba remains hesitant to sign a new deal. Add to Frenkie de Jong’s injury in the pre-season and Sergio Busquets clearly past his prime, signing a new midfielder has become an absolute must for the Catalan giants.
Thus, Barcelona’s interest in bringing Renato Sanches to the club makes complete sense. Sanches is a box-to-box midfielder who is equally comfortable operating in various roles in the engine room as per the opposition and the manager’s tactics.
The Portuguese international is a technically gifted player who is excellent on the ball, can dictate the tempo of the game with his passing ability and never shies away from jumping into tackles. Due to his diminutive frame, the 23-year-old’s movement on and off the ball is difficult to track for the opposition. He can break the lines with his passing ability and chip in with vital goals too.
A large chunk of the creative responsibility fell on Lionel Messi last season, but with the Argentinean no more a part of the club, Sanches’ potential addition would massively benefit Koeman’s side and improve their creativity from midfield. Also, playing alongside the highly experienced Sergio Busquets will further improve the Portuguese’s overall game and temperament. Thus, Barcelona must definitely look to get a deal done for Sanches as quickly as possible.
