Renato Sanches has been attracting admiring glances from across Europe for some time, with GOAL learning that Serie A heavyweights Juventus and AC Milan are both mulling over summer raids on Lille for the talented midfielder.
The Portugal international endured a humbling fall from grace after winning the 2016 European Championship, the prestigious Golden Boy award and earning himself a high-profile move to Bayern Munich.
A three-year stint with the reigning Ligue 1 champions in France has, however, allowed the 24-year-old to rebuild his reputation and force his way back onto the recruitment radars of heavyweight outfits looking for another injection of creativity in their respective engine rooms.
Who is keen on Sanches?
Massimiliano Allegri has made the addition of another midfielder a top priority for Juventus in the summer window.
He is understood to be an admirer of Sanches and has given a green light for club officials in Turin to enter into discussions with Lille.
Those talks are expected to take place towards the end of March, when questions will be asked of how much it will cost to prise a Portuguese playmaker away from his current surroundings.
Juve will, however, face competition from domestic rivals in pursuit of Sanches’ signature.
AC Milan are long-standing suitors of the former Bayern man and consider him to be a possible successor to Franck Kessie in their plans – with an Ivory Coast international at San Siro edging towards free agency.
The bigger picture
Arsenal, Barcelona and Liverpool have also been linked with Sanches in the recent past, while Premier League side Newcastle now boast the spending power to join any transfer scramble.
The Portuguese previously struggled in England during a loan spell at Swansea in 2017-18, but he has matured considerably since then and returned to a Champions League stage with Lille.
He is ready to fulfil undoubted potential and has been leaving the door open for interested parties to make a move.
Sanches has said on his future: “I just know I’m ready. If the offer arrives I’ll evaluate it.
“I was too young [at Bayern], but today I feel ready for a big club.”
Lille have also stated that they will allow Sanches to leave if “an offer from a big club arrives”, with those plans now in the process of being drawn up.