Arsenal reportedly view 23-year-old Portuguese international Renato Sanches as a backup option if they do not land James Maddison.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Arsenal seem to be keeping their options open in case they are unable to secure the services of James Maddison in the summer transfer window. To that end, 23-year-old Portuguese international Renato Sanches as a potential alternative to the Leicester City playmaker.
Renato Sanches has resurrected his career since joining Lille from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2019. While not a regular starter for Les Dogues, the 23-year-old has still managed to make his mark for the club while regaining his place in the Portuguese national side.
To date, Sanches has made 59 appearances for Lille while also chipping in with five goals and as many assists along the way. His progress over the last couple of years has not gone unnoticed, with several clubs showing a keenness to secure his services. The youngster is now being linked with a move to Arsenal.
The Gunners have already bolstered their midfield unit this summer by signing Albert Sambi Lokonga. However, despite the arrival of Lokonga, Arsenal are still in desperate need to sign a midfielder, and for good reason, with Dani Ceballos not returning for a third time after completing a loan spell with the club.
With Granit Xhaka possibly on the exit trail and likely to join AS Roma, it becomes imperative that Arsenal bring in another midfielder. To that end, Arsenal have shown an inclination to boost their creative ranks by signing a playmaker, with James Maddison one of their key targets.
However, the pursuit of Maddison is a tad bit complicated due to his excessive asking price, which is why Arsenal have now turned their attention towards Sanches. Signing the 23-year-old will not be a big ask either, considering Arsenal share a healthy working relationship with Lille.
However, Arsenal are not the only club eyeing a summer move for the Portuguese international, who is also the subject of interest from Liverpool, Barcelona and Tottenham, among others. What now remains to be seen is if Arsenal can leapfrog the other suitors in the race to sign Sanches if they are unable to land Maddison.