AC Milan are getting closer and closer to tying up a deal for Lille midfielder Renato Sanches, and it has been in the pipeline for some time.
According to MilanNews, the negotiation between the Rossoneri and Lille is almost complete and a transfer fee of around €15-18m should see the Portuguese midfielder start a new adventure in Italy, with personal terms reached at €3m net per season plus bonuses.
It is a negotiation that has been going on for months should find an end between the end of June and the beginning of July because of internal differences in the Lille management. It is possible that the transaction could be accounted for after 1 July which would allow Milan to put the Sanches deal on the 2022-23 accounts.
The former Benfica and Bayern Munich man has always been one of the first names on Stefano Pioli’s wish list, because the Milan boss really likes his tactical flexibility given that he can play in the double pivot, as an attacking midfielder or in the middle of the three-man midfield.
Back in January Milan tried to sign him but not all parties could agree in time, and now it has emerged that the name of Sanches began to circulate after Milan lost 3-0 at home to Lille in Europa League a year and a half ago (November 2020).
In that game – despite Yusuf Yazici’s hat-trick – it was Sanches who stole the show as he controlled the middle of the field with his physicality and technique, so much so that there were also internal talks at Milan to launch the first dialogues, which then happened in December 2021.
