Panathinaikos signs to Renato Sanches
The 28-year-old Portuguese midfielder is the 8th addition to the Clover roster for the new season 25-26.
The important transfer of
Renato Sanches to Panathinaikos has been completed, after the footballer successfully passed medical examinations on
Saturday (23/8) and today the administration announced their cooperation with a
one-year loan
from the European champions
PSG. The 28-year-old Portuguese midfielder is the
8th addition to the Clover roster for the new season and with his football quality, the performances he has and the winning spirit that he possesses, it is believed that he will further strengthen the potential of the Greens.
Welcome to Athens, Renato ☘️🏛️ #PAOFC #Panathinaikos pic.twitter.com/JSM8CN7YBk
— Panathinaikos F.C. (@paofc_) August 24, 2025
Renato Sanchez was born on August 18, 1997 in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. At the age of 10, he joined the Benfica academy with his talent standing out.
The first, within the top Portuguese club, who believed in him and gave him the opportunity he needed, was Rui Vitoria! The current coach of Panathinaikos, a decade ago, took the 18-year-old Sanchez from Benfica's second team, promoted him to the first and had him play almost immediately. The result of this decision, if nothing else, was impressive. The young midfielder was introduced to the public as the footballer who changed gears at Benfica, earned his call-up to the "great" Portuguese national team and became one of its most valuable footballers at Euro 2016 when they were crowned European champions! His first season was a dream. As it brought him a great transfer for 35 million euros: to Bayern Munich.
In Bavaria, in his first season, he played in 25 matches, winning the championship. However, the following season, he was loaned to the Welsh club Swansea. Returning to Bayern in 2018 brought a second chance, but Sanchez wanted to play as a starter and that did not seem guaranteed in Munich. So he asked to leave and Lille made him theirs. In France, he indeed reminded everyone of the tireless machine in the midfield. His career was reborn and after three excellent years in Lille, he “forced” the leading French club PSG, to acquire him on a transfer in 2022. In the galaxy of stars that was set up in Paris, Sanchez won the championship in 2023, but was then loaned to the Italian Roma and a year later to Benfica.
Sanchez has played for all of Portugal's national teams, earning 32 caps for the men's team.
He is a true... collector of titles. At the top of Europe with Portugal in 2016, winning the Nations League in 2019, Portuguese champion in 2015 with Benfica, German champion in 2017, 2019 and 2020 with Bayern, French champion in 2021 with Lille and 2023 with Paris Saint-Germain, German Cup winner in 2019 and 2020, French Super Cup in 2022 and German Cup in 2017 and 2019.
Now it's up to Renato himself (he took the No. 8 shirt) to prove how professional he remains and what he can offer his new team.

Manos Staramopoulos
Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs
Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com
Athens (Greece)