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.
Sanches was given just four league starts last season, with a further 13 appearances as a substitute to continue a long-term struggle for minutes since his €35m move from Benfica in 2016. The lack of chances to impress was made all the more frustrating given Bayern coach Kovac had issued public assurances that Sanches would play a greater role in Bayern’s season.
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Potential mid-season transfers, including a possible switch to Paris Saint-Germain, failed to materialise due to Bayern’s reluctance to sell, but the 21-year-old was widely tipped to move on this summer. Such developments have yet to take place, with Bayern believed to be hesitant to dispense with a young talent in whom much hope was invested.
"If I get the opportunity, I can show you what I'm worth, otherwise not and I can only hope,” Sanches said of his situation. “Ten or fifteen minutes is not an opportunity. If you do not play, you lose confidence, you lose everything. I'm young and I need confidence.
“If you do not play for ten games you start to believe that you're not good enough, but I know myself that I'm good. As I said a few months ago, I want the best for myself. If that means I stay, then I will stay.
"I'm doing my job, as I've been doing over the last few months. I'm in good shape and ready to play because I'm a good player. My first year in Munich was tough, but now I'm older and I know how things work.”
PSG have again been linked with a move for Sanches, with the French champions’ coach Thomas Tuchel reportedly a fan of the midfielder, while Turkish giants Fenerbahce have also been touted as admirers. For now, however, the Euro 2016 winner remains in Bavaria and keen to kick-start what is still a young career.
By Sean Gillen
