Renato Sanches Discusses Failed PSG Move, Bayern Munich Struggles, More

Lille midfielder Renato Sanches has opened up about his time at Bayern Munich and the failed transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. He said Bayern coach Niko Kovac urged him to stay, only to not give him adequate playing time.

Sanches sat down for an interview with L'Equipe (h/t AS) and said his move to Bayern didn't come too soon. According to him, none of his team-mates understood why he didn't get more chances:

"I was having dinner at a restaurant and my agent called to tell me: 'Tomorrow, you'll be flying out to Paris.' I told him that was fine with me and went home to pack my suitcases.

"The following day I showed up at training and Niko Kovac turned to me and said: 'Don't go!' I stayed and didn't play for the team that week. In the next game, I played five minutes.

"I saw how I'd lost my place with the national team and some of my skills were not as sharp. Even my own team-mates were asking me why I wasn't playing because I was one of the best in training. Even [Niklas] Sule mentioned it in an interview. And the same thing happened last summer."

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He also said injuries and a lack of motivation ruined his chances at Swansea City, and he joined Lille to get back in the Portugal team for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.

The 22-year-old is back on track in northern France this season, flashing the talent that made him one of the hottest prospects in European football following the Euro 2016 tournament.

French football writer Jeremy Smith hopes his strong form doesn't come back to haunt Les Bleus (warning: strong language):

A product of the Benfica academy, Sanches made his professional debut in the 2014-15 campaign and stepped up to the Eagles' senior side in 2015. He played in six UEFA Champions League matches and wowed scouts with his tremendous combination of strength, athleticism and technical ability.

He joined Portugal for Euro 2016 and played a big part in the round-of-16 triumph over Croatia, winning the man-of-the-match award. He then scored in the quarter-finals against Poland, again winning the man-of-the-match award, and he won the Young Player of the Tournament Award following Portugal's victory in the final against France.

Sanches moved to Bundesliga giants Bayern in 2016, but his career never took off in Germany. He made six league starts in his debut season and was sent on loan to Swansea the following year.

The tricky midfielder showed flashes the following season, but it wasn't enough to keep him at the Allianz Arena. Now starring for Lille, he's once again putting in performances like this one against Montpellier in December:

Lille's squad is filled with high-upside talents like Timothy Weah, Victor Osimhen and Thiago Maia, and they're in the thick of the Champions League race in Ligue 1. Consistency and scoring have been issues―they have just 30 goals in 25 Ligue 1 matches―but the future looks bright for the French side.