At this point, there’s no getting around it: Roma’s remaining summer transfer ambitions are focused squarely on West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca and PSG midfielder Renato Sanches. José Mourinho may prefer other options, but with Roma unable or unwilling to spend money on the transfer market, The Special One has no choice but to sit, wait and sweat it out, hoping that Tiago Pinto can land both players on loan, a feat that is starting to seem almost impossible.
However, with leagues across the continent set to begin in a matter of weeks, rosters are beginning to coalesce, leaving many fringe players at mega clubs with a difficult decision to make. Do they stick around and fight for their place or choose the path of least resistance and accept a loan move to a slightly smaller club?
That’s precisely the pickle in which Renato Sanches finds himself. With Luis Enrique now in charge at the Parc des Princes, Sanches has spent the summer dodging Roma’s advances as he tries to impress the former Barcelona manager, who will try to succeed where so many before him failed: winning the Champions League.
We’ve passed along the so-called micro-updates for weeks, but the song remained the same: Sanches wouldn’t budge. Perhaps it was pride. Maybe he’s not willing to let go of that Champions League dream. Perhaps he’s bought into Enrique’s message. Or maybe he’s like the rest of us and just really hates moving—it’s a pain in the ass, after all.
But the worm may finally be turning.
Absent de l’entraînement, Renato Sanches se dirige vers un départ du PSG. Les contacts se sont intensifiés avec l’AS Roma pour le milieu de terrain portugais, sous contrat avec le club parisien jusqu’en 2027https://t.co/XSEDWXoNqO
— RMC Sport (@RMCsport) July 26, 2023
According to the French outlet RMC Sport, Sanches has been left out of PSG’s recent training sessions, fueling speculation that talks between Roma and PSG have intensified recently. While RMC repeats what we’ve long since known, that PSG prefers an outright sale/loan with an obligation, they do concede that the Parisiens may consider an option to buy the 25-year-old Portuguese midfielder.
Italian transfer journalist Nicolo Schira takes it further, suggesting that Sanches has “given his availability” to Roma.
We say it all the time, but stay tuned—things seem to be cooking finally.
