Manchester United are reportedly scouting an 18-year-old holding midfielder from Portuguese club S.L. Benfica and could be willing to meet his 58.8 million pound release clause.
Renato Sanches is an 18-year-old midfielder who has burst onto the scene in Portugal this season with some glittering performances for Benfica. The holding midfielder is an academy product, having been at the club since the age of 8. Apart from holding midfield, the teenager can also play as a winger and attacking midfielder thanks to his pace and control on the ball.
Sanches has attracted a lot of attention from the media after being linked with a move to England with The Independent describing him as “A physically strong player with an eye for the incisive pass and a cool head under pressure.”
The Red Devils looking for another Ronaldo
Manchester United are very familiar with talented young players from Portugal, with a certain Ronaldo having joined their ranks from Sporting Club in 2003. We all know what he went on to achieve, and now it looks like Renato is the next hottest prospect from Portugal for Manchester United.
The teenager has also attracted interest from other Premier League clubs including Newcastle United, Swansea and Aston Villa, but Manchester United would be favourites to land him if they deem him good enough to sign.
Negotiation will be tricky
The Red Devils have reportedly been monitoring the player since December, but signing him could prove to be a tricky matter. Sanches has a contract with Benfica till 202o, with a reported buyout clause of 58.8 million pounds, according to Manchester Evening News.
While that is a massive amount of money to pay for an unproven teenager, Louis van Gaal has shown that he is not one to shy away from taking risks on young talent. He signed 19-year-old Anthony Martial for a big sum in the summer, and also brought in Memphis Depay from Netherlands. If the scouts and the manager think the player is worth it, then we could see a big money bid for Sanches soon.