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REAL MADRID

Benfica up Renato buy-out fee to 80m in face of Real interest

The 18-year-old midfielder has proved a sensation in Portugal this term, with Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich also after him.

MadridUpdate:
Benfica up Renato buy-out fee to 80m in face of Real interest
FRANCISCO LEONGAFP

Benfica's teenage revelation Renato Sanches has become a target for La Liga giants Real Madrid. At the age of just 18, the midfielder has taken the Portuguese league by storm this season, sparking interest among a raft of major European clubs.

Benfica up Renato buy-out fee to 80m in face of Real interest
Renato Sanches
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On top of Madrid, Renato is also being pursued by the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

And with so many suitors eyeing the Portugal Under-19 international, Benfica have twice moved to raise his release clause. First, it went up from 30 million euros to 45 - with his contract also extended until 2021. And as soon as Madrid's interest became apparent, that buy-out figure was in turn increased to 80 million, the highest in the Primeira Liga.

However, Benfica would accept any offer above 60 million for Renato - a price that would constitute the most expensive deal in the history of Portuguese footballeclipsing FC Porto's 55-million-euro sale of Hulk to Russians Zenit St. Petersburg.

Renato made his debut for the 34-time domestic title winners in a 2-2 draw with Astana in the Champions League in November last year. Since then, he has gone on to feature on 18 further occasions, with his side losing just once - against Real's city rivals Atlético in December.

But despite the 2-1 defeat, Renato had Atleti boss Diego Simeone purring post-match: "He's doing very well and is a youngster who's making big progress."