---
title: "Mourinho wanted Renato Sanches at United"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2016/08/06/mourinho-wanted-renato-sanches-at-united/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
section: "Man Utd News"
published: "2016-08-06T17:58:50Z"
modified: "2016-08-06T17:58:50Z"
---

# Mourinho wanted Renato Sanches at United

Manchester United manager José Mourinho has said that he would have chased the signing of Renato Sanches had he arrived at Old Trafford earlier.

The Portuguese sensation had been the subject of strong interest from United early in the summer before Bayern Munich swooped in to sign the 18-year-old in an initial €35 million deal from Benfica in May.

Sanches would go on to enjoy a fantastic Euro 2016 with Portugal, lifting the trophy in Paris as well as winning the Young Player of the Tournament for his scintillating performances for the Seleção.

![Matthias Hangst/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2016/08/545902468.jpg)

And speaking to Portuguese station SportTV (as per the [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3726728/Jose-Mourinho-wanted-sign-Renato-Sanches-arrived-Manchester-United-late-seal-deal.html)), Mourinho said that he was a huge admirer of Sanches and had he finalised the deal to become United manager earlier, he would have tried to sign the youngster:

> *I arrived \[at Manchester United\] late. I signed in May, we started talking a week before, but completely out of the process. If I had arrived earlier, I’d fight for him.*
>
> *Manchester United watched Renato many times and maybe I did it even more. In so much time at home, I watched many Benfica and Portuguese league games, I got to know the boy better with time.*
>
> *He’s in a big club, in a league where he’ll certainly be the champion. The club* have *players of very high level which belong to the structure, a little like Benfica.*

![Alex Livesey/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2016/08/543945692.jpg)

Sanches was officially unveiled as a Bayern Munich player today and United fans will definitely be wondering what could have been had the Reds not dithered in deciding whether to part ways with Louis van Gaal at the end of last season.

However, that blow may be softened with the return of Paul Pogba to the Theatre of Dreams, with the Juventus midfielder set to rejoin the Reds for a world-record transfer fee.