Renato Sanches could have joined Paris Saint-Germain earlier but the capital club's appointment of his former LOSC manager Christophe Galtier helped shape his decision to join this summer.
Sanches completed a €13 million transfer for Lille in August, a month after Galtier had been appointed to replace Mauricio Pochettino in the Parc des Princes dugout, but he has had to be patient in proving himself to PSG fans.
Sanches was part of a summer recruitment drive which also saw midfielders Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Carlos Soler signed, with Marco Verratti and Danilo Pereira already on the books.
Accordingly, only two of his 10 Ligue 1 Uber Eats appearances have been starts, but he already has two goals to his name from just 316 minutes of football, and he has no regrets about making the move to the French capital.
Watch: Sanches' first PSG goal, against Montpellier
"I chose Paris because I love France," he told Paris Fans. "I [previously] received three offers from PSG, but it hadn't happened before. This summer, I thought it was finally the right time to come. I know Christophe Galtier very well; he coached me in Lille, so that obviously carries weight in such a decision."
Sanches won Ligue 1 Uber Eats with Galtier at Lille in 2021, les Dogues shocking French football by finishing a point clear of PSG. They then beat them to the Trophée des Champions that August.
Sanches also reportedly attracted the interest of AC Milan last summer, but his average of five progressive passes and three shot-creating actions over the last year suggest PSG will end up very happy to have won the race for his signature.
