Arsenal handed huge Renato Sanches transfer boost

Renato Sanches’ Terrible Injury Record Can’t be Avoided

In terms of fee, Arsenal could probably get an inviting price for the 24-year-old. Signed for around £18m in 2019, having 18 or so months left on his deal now, how much the could scoop him for would depend on how much interest is being drummed up.

Lille would still like to make a profit, of course.

The fact that Barcelona were apparently very close to signing him should be a wake up call to any other sides interested. Because they’re a huge club and can spot talent? No, because they’re an exceptionally stupid club who love making stupid decisions. Any time Barcelona are involved there should be red flags.

In this case, the red flag is Sanches’ injury record. It’s awful. You have to feel for the lad as the moment he builds up a head of steam and form there is another niggling problem to set him back. What’s worse is that it’s almost always a muscle or hamstring injury, which having had since he was young is unlikely to ever suddenly improve.

Even in his short spell at Swansea he missed 25 matches, while since joining Lille in October 2019 he’s been unavailable for 37 games, 11 of which have come this season alone.

It’s sad that a player who is a mesmeric dribbler who can progress the ball every which way is so hampered in this way, but the risk of his signing is unavoidable.

Seeing him and Gabriel Magalhaes converse regularly on social media makes matters even worse since there are reasons aplenty for him to move to the Premier League: he will want to give the division another go and having friends there may even help his decision.

As it is, AC Milan are also keeping a watchful eye, but unless there has been some drastic change in his body or there are other methods of preserving his fitness, it’s a lot of money to spend on someone who keep the physios occupied.