Former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge regrets the failed development of ex-child prodigy Renato Sanches at Bayern Munich. at Picture live Rummenigge admitted the Portuguese’s transfer in 2016 was premature.
“I think we got him a year or two early,” said Rummenigge.
However, the club had no choice. “We had to get him back then. He was suddenly a totally hyped player in Europe at the age of 18. We paid 35 million, which was a lot of money back then. He played a great European championship and was voted ‘Golden Boy'”, said he back.
After the Euro 2016, which was the most successful for Portugal, half of Europe was after Sanches, the Bavarians finally got the contract. But he couldn’t meet expectations. “Somehow it didn’t fit,” says Rummenigge.
On the last day of the transfer window in summer 2017, Bayern gave Sanches on loan to Swansea City, where Paul Clement’s former assistant to Carlo Ancelotti was coach. “Don Carlo” himself was released from Bayern a few weeks later, after an interim game under Willy Sagnol Jupp Heynckes returned. And Rummenigge emphasizes that the coaching legend would have liked to have had Sanches back on the team.
Renato Sanches: Would everything have gone differently with Heynckes?
“When Jupp Heynckes came back to replace Carlo Ancelotti, he wanted this player. Jupp said: ‘I want this player back. I want to bring this player to the level where he belongs.’ Unfortunately we weren’t able to bring him back during the season due to technical regulations from FIFA, “said Rummenigge angrily.
Because when Sanches returned to Munich in the summer of 2018 after a disappointing season at Swansea, Heynckes had finally retired. Niko Kovac had taken over the post. Even under the Croatian, things did not go well for Sanches, which is why the midfielder finally broke up his tents in Munich in the summer of 2019 and moved to OSC Lille in France.
Rummenigge believes that the Portuguese could have gone a different way under Heynckes. “I think Jupp Heynckes and Renato Sanches would have been an exciting project,” he said: “I think with Jupp he might still play in Munich.” His appearances in the Champions League would have shown what outstanding skills he has. Sanches has long been considered a candidate for a move to an absolute top club.
