Against all odds, Swansea City, it seems have managed to pull off a stunning loan-signing of Renato Sanches from Bayern Munich this summer. According to ESPN, a loan move for one-year has been agreed and an announcement is imminent.
Swansea boss Paul Clement knows Renato Sanches very well, and the midfielder has worked under him when Clement was still at Bayern. And it appears that the Portuguese midfield prodigy is all set to rejoin him at the Liberty Stadium. Many fans are optimistic over this deal and for good reason as well. It might as well be the coup of the summer, but before judging anything, here’s a SWOT analysis on the young midfield prodigy.
Strengths
Renato’s strengths definitely lie in his movements with the ball. He is a very elegant customer in the middle of the field, who has an impressive body composure, which helps him maintain his balance, on or off the ball. Sanches is also a clever midfielder, who can intercept the opposition passing lines, as well as maintain possession.
Moreover, he is capable of playing in any position throughout the centre of the midfield. From the holding midfield to attacking midfield, Sanches is very versatile when it comes to the middle third of the pitch. He is fairly comfortable in playing as one of three midfielders in a 4-3-3 formation. Alternatively, he can also act as a part of a double pivoted midfield in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
With impressive technique, Sanches can wriggle through opposition in tight spaces and his distribution enables him to be more flexible off the ball as well. While his stunning vision only makes him more dangerous for the opposition.
Naturally, however, Sanches is preferred as a transitional midfielder. He can bridge the gap from defence to midfield, therefore, fairly suitable in both build up or counter attacking play.
Weaknesses
Despite all his qualities as a midfielder, Renato Sanches is very inexperienced, which didn’t bode well for him at Bayern in the first place. He becomes very nervous against high pressing oppositions, and we’re sure to see a lot of that in the Premier League. He can be very careless and giving away possession has been one of the lowlights of his debut season in the Bundesliga.
Sanches is also not the paciest midfielder nor does he have immense strength to fend off oppositions. He solely relies on his technique, which makes him a rather one-dimensional player. While one would also argue the fact that, having a bit of physical prowess is very important if one expects to survive in the pronounced best league in the world.
Opportunity
There’s no doubt that Renato Sanches will be club’s central figure after arriving. It will be interesting to see how he syncs with his new teammates, especially Ki-Sung Yong. But make no mistake, Sanches will be a guaranteed starter and his parent club Bayern will have no worries over the fact that his loan move might hinder his progress. Furthermore, his good relationship with manager Paul Clement only bodes well for both the player and the club.
Threats
As said before, Renato Sanches was terrible in his first season in the Bundesliga. He couldn’t deal with fierce oppositions like Borussia Dortmund or RB Leipzig and therefore, it raises a shadow of doubt over his credentials as a technician in midfield. But nonetheless, there won’t be any Dortmund nor any Leipzig in the Premier League, and if he can play to his strengths, he might find it easier than the Bundesliga.
