BERLIN - Midfielder Renato Sanches will return to Bayern Munich and be handed the opportunity to impress new coach Niko Kovac for next season, chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says.
The 20-year-old, left out of Portugal's provisional World Cup squad this week, has endured a miserable campaign on loan at relegated Premier League team Swansea City having also failed to impress in the previous season at Bayern.
"He is coming back," Rummenigge said of the 35-million euro (41-million dollar) buy from Benfica.
"Niko Kovac will try to bring him back to his former glory. This is an exciting task," added the club chief in a pre-copy of Friday's edition of the Muenchner Merkur.
Sanches has a contract with German champions Bayern until 2021.
"Renato has had two difficult years, which I believe were related to his elevation as the golden boy of Euro 2016," Rummenigge added.
"Psychologically, that was not so easy for him to handle. We were totally convinced of him two years ago and will not give up on him now."
Sanches will have to fight for a first-team place alongside Dutch winger Arjen Robben, who finally signed his one-year contract extension on Thursday after the club announced last week a deal had been agreed.
"I really want the new season to start already," the injury-prone 34-year-old told Bayern TV.
"I want to throw everything into next season so that it goes well and I can be important to the team again."