Wolverhampton Wanderers were interested in signing Renato Sanches from LOSC Lille in the summer but a knee injury put a halt to proceedings.
Tom Collomosse told GIVEMESPORT that the deal is one that ‘Lille wanted to do’ but Woves weren’t prepared to pay a fee for an injured player.
“They’ll still be following him, I think, for sure. I think the deal that Lille wanted to do, Wolves weren’t happy with because of concerns about his fitness at the time, but there’s definitely interest in the player there.” Collomosse said.
Replacement for Moutinho?
Joao Moutinho has been pivotal for Wolves since he joined from Monaco and was one of the main men that helped Wolves become an established Premier League side.
Despite featuring in 21 Premier League games so far this season, he is 35-years-old and it could be time to look for a replacement in the heart of midfield.
Renato Sanches’ last time in the Premier League didn’t quite go to plan with Swansea, but he is a different player now and was key for Lille during their 2020/21 Ligue 1 title triumph.
Sanches is an energetic midfielder who can work tirelessly for 90 minutes, something that Wolves have lacked in recent times, as they opt for the more technical approach in midfield with Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.
The Portuguese midfielder could offer a different dimension for Wolves and with Moutinho not getting any younger, he could be the perfect replacement.
Neves partnership?
Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho have surfaced an unbreakable partnership in the heart of the Wolves midfield, but Sanches could compliment Neves on a different level.
Sanches is a vibrant, energetic and hard working box to box midfielder, so he could be on the hunt for second balls, whilst Neves acts as a deep lying midfielder and spread balls across the park like a quarter back, like he so excellently can.
With Sanches’ desire to play as a ‘number eight’, the Wolves three at the back system could accommodate to his needs perfectly. With the three central defenders and Neves sitting deep, this could allow Sanches to roam forward and showcase his talent.
The £27m-rated star could be a fine addition for Wolves.