Manchester United transfer news: Old Trafford club may rue dithering over Portugal's Renato Sanches

Ryan Giggs had scouted Euros winning midfielder but Louis van Gaal was not keen

Renato Sanches celebrates Portugal's Euro 2016 victory

Ryan Giggs, in his role as a pundit on ITV during the Euros, revealed that Manchester United had been tracking Renato Sanches, the Portugal midfielder who was crowned champion of Europe on Sunday night, before he sealed his £35m move to Bayern Munich in May.

Sanches had just fired in his stunning left-footed equalising goal against Poland in the quarter-finals – Portugal went on to win on penalties – and Giggs was asked by host Mark Pougatch if the 18-year-old was worth such a jaw-dropping fee.

“One hundred per cent worth it,” Giggs said. “I saw a lot of his games last season. He’s a kid with a lot of talent.”

While Giggs had been impressed with Sanches, who started for Portugal in their 1-0 extra-time victory over hosts France on Sunday night that secured the Henri Delaunay Cup, Louis van Gaal, the former United manager relieved of his duties after the FA Cup final but still consulted on transfers by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward up to the bitter end, obviously was not and Sanches slipped through the Old Trafford net.

Munich, in managerial transition too, let’s not forget, as Carlo Ancelotti moved in to replace Pep Guardiola, stepped in and offered Benfica a sum they could not refuse.

If Manchester United had asked the current incumbent of the Old Trafford hotseat, one Jose Mourinho, they would probably have been given a very different answer but Woodward dithered over that appointment – desperately wanting Van Gaal to achieve a top-four finish and save his skin. United are now paying the price for not having acted sooner – an accusation that has been hurled at the executive vice-chairman before.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United as a youngster (Getty)

Another reason Sanches would have been a canny piece of business is that at £33m, and at 18 years of age, he will in all likelihood have a sell-on value. At £100m and aged 23, Paul Pogba, the Juventus midfielder, who went up the stairs 10 minutes before Sanches at the Stade de France to collect his runners-up medal, will not.

“Six, nine months ago, he was on fire,” Giggs continued about watching Sanches play for Benfica. “Then his form dipped. But you’d expect that.“

If his form dipped, it is rising again and is likely to be on the way up for a while yet. Sanches, who on Monday was named as Uefa’s Young Player of the Tournament, was excellent throughout the Euros during which he broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s record to become the tournament’s youngest finalist. He started the Euros on the bench for the group stages but the turning point came against Croatia when he came on in the 50th minute for Andre Gomes in the round of 16 match.

While Ricardo Quaresma scored the winner deep in extra time it was Sanches who was the most impressive player. The Portuguese newspaper O Publico, for example, was full of praise for his bravery, energy and drive. His performance won him a place in the starting XI against Poland in the quarter-finals and he scored within 33 minutes.

Although he was taken off in the 78th minute of the final – and replaced by Eder, the scorer of the winner - his enthusiasm and effort had helped stifle France and laid the platform for Portugal to push on during the additional 30 minutes when the tie was settled.

Back in happier times for United, they signed another 18-year-old Portuguese player. He went by the name of Cristiano Ronaldo. That one didn’t turn out too badly did it? The early signs are that the Old Trafford club may rue not acting as decisively now as they did then.