Bayern's Renato Sanches prepared to stay: “I want the best for myself”
The future of Portuguese midfielder Renato Sanches has been the subject of much discussion over recent months, with the Bayern Munich man exploring his options after a season of limited opportunities in the Bundesliga.
The former Benfica youngster admitted as far back as April that he was unhappy at the German champions, having seen promises over game time broken by coach Niko Kovac. However, despite opening himself up for a move Sanches says he is prepared for the possibility of staying in Munich.
Portugal took a big step towards the UEFA U19 European Championship semi-finals after a 1-1 draw against Spain at Banants Stadion in Yerevan. Spain took the lead through Juan Miranda before half-time, Fábio Vieira’s free kick after the break earning the Seleção a share of the spoils.
The weekend saw two of Portugal’s coaching exports secure major victories in Latin America, with Jorge Jesus and Pedro Caixinha making the headlines in Brazil and Mexico respectively.
Portugal began their UEFA U19 European Championship title defence in Armenia with a comprehensive 3-0 win against Italy at Banants Stadium in Yerevan.
Championship contenders Fulham have signed Portuguese forward Ivan Cavaleiro from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan deal. The former Benfica man leaves Wolves for London after three years at the club, with the deal containing the option for a permanent transfer next summer.
With or without an end-of-season collapse that saw FC Porto’s competitive rivals, Benfica and Sporting, overcome the Dragons with Primeira Liga and Taça de Portugal success, respectively, a period of transition had always been forecast for the ‘Blue & Whites’ ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
In the wake of João Felix’s headline-grabbing move from Benfica to Atletico Madrid, the futures of several other Portugal internationals remain in the balance as the summer transfer market gains pace. João Mario and Renato Sanches continue to pursue moves from Internazionale and Bayern Munich respectively, while João Cancelo and André Silva report for training at Juventus and AC Milan despite intense speculation during recent weeks.
Pre-season is officially underway in Europe, with clubs across the continent returning to training this week ahead of the 2019-20 campaign. The upcoming season will see many Portuguese coaches assuming control of new teams in France, Greece and Italy, with the likes of Andre Villas-Boas, Abel Ferreira and Paulo Fonseca taking on high-pressure jobs during the close season.
With one of the summer's major transfer sagas finally over after João Félix completed his big-money move to Altetico Madrid, Portuguese champions Benfica can now prepare for the new campaign with clarity after the departure of their young star.
The transfer season is fully up and running, with Portuguese players changing clubs across the continent on an almost daily basis. The latest major deal to be confirmed sees Hélder Costa leave Wolverhampton Wanderers for English Championship contenders Leeds United.
