As Paris Saint-Germain appear open to a potential sale, Liverpool might pursue one гᴜmогed previous transfer target to address a weak area in Jürgen Klopp’s team.

With numerous players leaving Anfield and potential replacements to follow, Liverpool’s recruitment team will have the difficult task of revitalizing a struggling squad this summer. One previously mentioned player has a good chance of being the ideal fit for the Reds.

As a result, the majority of Liverpool’s transfer money is expected to be used to solve the difficulties of a lack of strength in depth, beyond brilliant teenagers such as Stefan Bajevic and Harvey Elliott and the aging duo of Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcântara. Anfield chiefs have a choice to make: prioritize recruits in the so-called peak ages of 26-30 to address this evident problem, or persist with the tried-and-true philosophy of recruiting younger players with good potential and high resale value.

Several names have been bandied about for quite some time, but it seems inconceivable that Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, the Reds’ main midfield target, would be the only acquisition made this offseason. Given that at least four of Jürgen Klopp’s midfielders are leaving at the end of the season, it’s evident that cheaper alternatives may need to be sought to remedy this issue if $150 million (£120 million, €140 million) of this summer’s budget goes toward Bellingham.

This explains why PSG are гᴜmогed to be eager to part ways with Portugal international midfielder Renato Sanches after just one season at the Parc des Princes. 90Min reports that Liverpool, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham, and Wolves are all keeping tabs on the player.

If Liverpool were to acquire Sanches, who is now playing for French club Lille, it would be a return to an alleged transfer target from the 2021 season. The player was previously linked with a move to Liverpool by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo. The best time in the 25-year-career old’s arguably occurred when he was playing for Lille, where he made 23 appearances for the Ligue 1-winning team that won the French championship in 2021.

Sanches, a Portuguese international whose reputation has dimmed significantly after a trying first season in the French capital, is valued at $22 million (£18 million/€20 million) by Transfermarkt and would be a great example of what many analysts would consider a ‘Moneyball’ deal. A moderate amount that would still see them make a profit on initial investment might wind up being beneficial to both parties, however it remains to be seen what PSG would be ready to accept in terms of a fee after paying Lille an initial $11m (£9m/€10m) for the midfielder last summer.

Sanches has Premier League experience, having spent the 2017–18 season on loan at Swansea City, where he also struggled. His prior career difficulties at Bayern Munich are also well known. The midfielder has struggled to establish himself as a regular member of Christophe Galtier’s first squad this season, despite seeing play in 16 Ligue 1 games and scoring twice. Further investigation reveals that only three of these outings were as a starter, and that Sanches has played a grand total of 652 minutes throughout all competitions this season.

Sanches has never played in more than 25 league games in a season, thus his history of injuries is cause for concern. This may be less of a concern for the higher-ups at Anfield if they see him as a player who can bolster their bench.

While healthy and on the pitch, the Benfica academy product has been a major factor for his team in Ligue 1. In 83 games played over the course of five seasons, he has contributed to 17 goals (eight goals, nine assists). Despite his diminished position this season, the midfielder is undeniably a player with pedigree and has the potential to increase Klopp’s squad depth. He is a near lock to win his second Ligue 1 championship at the end of the season.

By looking at the key performance indicators, it is evident that when Sanches has played this season, he is among the best attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues. The midfielder ranks in the top ten percent of all players in his position per 90 minutes for progressive carries and in the top three percent for progressive passes, indicating that he is very effective at driving a team forward from deep. These statistics come from FBref and cover the past year.

In addition, he ranks in the top 18% of his position’s players for shot creation. It’s clear that, once his fitness problems are resolved, this is a player capable of competing at the highest levels.

Sanches’ finest years are likely still ahead of him at age 25, and considering his experience, Liverpool’s decision to get the midfielder for a bargain could prove to be a very astute one. There is no denying the talent of the Portuguese star, and Klopp may be the manager to get him back to the level of play that led to a transfer to PSG.