Barcelona have reportedly opened talks to sign Renato Sanches, with president Joan Laporta and Jorge Mendes meeting Lille for the 23-year-old.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Barcelona seem to be stepping up their efforts to land Renato Sanches in the summer transfer window. The Catalan giants have initiated discussions with Lille over a potential move for the 23-year-old Portuguese midfielder, with Joan Laporta and Jorge Mendes holding a meeting with the Ligue 1 champions.
Renato Sanches has resurrected a stuttering career since joining Lille from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2019. Over the last couple of years, the youngster has made massive strides in his career while regaining his place in the Portuguese national squad. Last season, he was also a part of the team that clinched a shock Ligue 1 triumph ahead of Paris Saint-Germain.
To date, the 23-year-old has made 59 appearances for Lille, chipping in with five goals and as many assists along the way. His progress has duly been noticed by some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including several in the Premier League. However, as things stand, it looks like Barcelona have made their first move to land Sanches.
The interest from Barcelona is understandable amid speculation that Miralem Pjanic will make his way out of Camp Nou after just one season. In addition, Ilaix Moriba is likely to be offloaded by the Blaugrana as well amid a bitter standoff between the two parties over the terms of a new deal.
While Barcelona already have a strong first-choice midfield trio in Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri. However, it is important to note that Busquets is in the twilight of his career while Pedri is coming off a season wherein he has played over a whopping 70 games for club and country.
Therefore, it is clear why Ronald Koeman would wish to have a fourth option at his disposal in order to facilitate a better utilisation of resources. To that end, Barcelona have been linked with a bevy of midfielders in recent weeks, with the latest serious target being Bernardo Silva. And Sanches is a viable target as well for the Catalan outfit.
Barcelona have now stepped up their efforts to sign the 23-year-old, having initiated talks with Lille over a potential move. In fact, club president Joan Laporta seems to be personally involved, having held a meeting with the Ligue 1 champions alongside Jorge Mendes. With that in mind, it remains to be seen if the discussions progress well and if Barcelona manage to land Sanches this summer.
