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The latest player to be linked with a move to Manchester United is Renato Sanches, the Portuguese teen sensation with a jaw-dropping €80million buyout clause.

We get the lowdown on him from Tom Kundert of the excellent PortuGOAL site :

Two months ago Benfica’s season looked set to be a shambles. In a country where there are basically three teams that matter, the reigning champions had been badly beaten three times in succession by Lisbon rivals Sporting, Porto had also got the better of them, they were out of the Portuguese Cup and were lagging eight points behind top spot.

It was at this point that 18-year-old Renato Sanches was given his first-team debut by under-fire coach Rui Vitoria. It is no coincidence that the Eagles have since got their act together in highly impressive fashion. Since Sanches became a fixture in the team at the end of November, Benfica have won 11 and drawn one of their 12 matches in domestic play.

Rui Vitoria’s side are now just two points behind Sporting in second place and right in the mix in what is proving to be a thrilling championship race.

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(Image: Sascha Steinbach/2014 Getty Images) (Image: AFP/Getty)

Style of play

The transformation in the team’s results has been as remarkable as the ease with which teenager Sanches has taken to top-level football. For someone so inexperienced, Sanches plays with a disconcerting swagger and self-assurance, demanding the ball and driving his team forward from his central midfield position in a manner you would expect of a seasoned veteran.

A true box-to-box midfielder, the dynamic Sanches stamps his authority on every game in much the same way as former Benfica favourite Enzo Perez did. The brilliant Argentine was sold to Valencia for €25m one year ago, and only now do Benfica fans believe he has been properly replaced.

The unfettered confidence of Sanches was evident from the very start, as exemplified in the audacious strike he unleashed into the net on his home debut, a serious contender for goal of the season:

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Strengths

Sanches has boundless energy, and the step up to senior football has proven no obstacle to his impressive stamina levels. Since being seamlessly integrated into Benfica’s starting eleven, Sanches has rarely been substituted early, if at all, like one would expect with a young footballer making his first appearances amongst the big boys. If anything, he tends to get stronger as matches progress towards the latter stages, outrunning his opposite numbers.

A thunderous shot is one of the standout assets in his locker. As well as the above goal, another spectacular strike late in the game gave Benfica three vital points against Vitoria Guimaraes to maintain the team’s current winning streak.

Still a teenager he may be, but an impressive physique prevents him from being bossed. Quite the contrary, Sanches is not afraid to put himself about and has good tackling ability. Once in control of the ball, he is extremely difficult to dispossess.

(Image: AFP/Getty) (Image: AFP/Getty)

Weaknesses

The urge to quicken the pace of Benfica’s attacking movements, usually through rapid passes, leads him to frequently err in his distribution. This flaw in his game that can prove costly when stationed a few metres ahead of his defence – a position where he often picks up the ball. And fruit of his burgeoning confidence, he has a tendency to overdo it in dribbling forward.

His impetuousness is also translated into rash tackles at times: he has narrowly escaped a second yellow card on several occasions this season.

All three defects can be put down to the impulsiveness of youth, and it is hard to believe they will not soon be ironed out as Sanches acquires more experience.

(Image: Getty Images)

What they say

Vitor Paneira, a former Benfica midfielder who is now a head coach: “His youthfulness brings irreverence and dynamism to the team. He plays with great attitude and consistency.

"He is very strong physically and plays with intensity, creating imbalances in the opposition team through his transitions. For an 18-year-old he’s not half bad. He’s already worth many millions.”

What next?

Given his impact since breaking into the first team, Benfica will be loath to lose the boy many are saying is the club’s most promising home-grown prospect since Rui Costa, and someone who has become a key player despite his tender years. In December Sanches signed an improved contract with an astonishing €80m buyout clause.

Nevertheless, as is always the case with the best players in Portugal, it is a question of when rather than if he makes the leap to a more high-profile league.

His high-energy style, impressive stamina and well-developed physique suggest he is tailor-made to thrive in the Premier League . But whoever wants to land him will have to pay big.