"In January, I intend to return to competition and that is what will happen." Renato Sanches said that to Foot Mercato, and he also pushed back against the idea that his career stalled because of attitude. The 29-year-old has been without a contract since September after leaving Paris Saint Germain, and he says the difficult period is behind him.

The injury defence

Sanches did not try to hide the scale of the setbacks. He told Foot Mercato, in comments translated from French, that he went through difficult times and suffered injuries he would have preferred to avoid, but that none of them came from a lack of professionalism.

That line matters because it is the version he wants attached to his career now. He pointed to the work that took him to some of the best clubs in Europe and said, "All these clubs know Renato's work." He also said he is "completely serene" because the period is now behind him.

The case is not built only on attitude, either. Transfermarkt has recorded 528 days of absence since his signing for Paris Saint Germain, a brutal number for a player who is still only 29. His most recent listed appearance was a 55-minute outing rated 6.5 in a 4-0 UEFA Europa League defeat, which at least shows he was still being used earlier this year.

What January would mean

The January return is still his intention, not a club announcement. Sanches repeated the same message in comments to So Foot, also translated from French, saying he intends to resume competition in January and wants to make "a strong comeback".

That is a hopeful line from a player who has spent too much of the last few years dealing with interruptions. He made 27 appearances for Paris Saint Germain across four years, and his time there also included loan spells at AS Roma, Benfica and Panathinaïkos.

The only thing that is certain right now is the timing he has set himself. January is the target, and Sanches is making it clear he wants the next chapter to be judged on football rather than the worst assumptions people have made about him.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →