Bayern Munich wonderkid Renato Sanches was the toast of Europe last summer... his Swansea move tops the lot in the craziest transfer window ever

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Forget Neymar. Never mind Ousmane Dembele. The most remarkable transfer of this crazy summer is surely Renato Sanches.

Just 12 months ago, this young, dreadlocked Portuguese midfielder was one of the standout players of Euro 2016. He was coveted by many of Europe's biggest clubs, and had just joined Bayern Munich for a fee of around £30million. 

Now, he's on his way to Swansea. When he arrived in Munich last summer, Sanches immediately announced that he was there to win trophies. There won't be many of those on offer at the Liberty Stadium, but by now, that is the least of his worries. All the midfielder wants now is game time.

Renato Sanches is on the cusp of completing a sensational loan move to Swansea City

'Renato has to play consistently, and that's just not possible at Bayern at the moment, given the quality we have in our squad,' said Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge this week. 

The hope is that a year in South Wales can put Sanches promising career back into gear. Despite the huge expectation, the thrilling performances at Euro 2016 and the significant price tag, the 20-year-old's first year at Bayern simply never got off the ground. 

He made 17 Bundesliga appearances, but was on the pitch for only 615 minutes in total, forever kept on the fringes of the first team. By October 2016, he had already forgotten about titles, and was begging simply for game time.

'My aim is just to play. Play, play, play. Everything else will follow,' he told TZ back then, after his early performances had earned him criticism from German pundits. 

In a midfield which contained Xabi Alonso, Thiago Alcantara and Arturo Vidal, playing was always going to be an uphill struggle. Sanches, by his own admission, didn't respond particularly well to the challenge. 

Even when he was given an opportunity, his performances were largely disappointing. There were flashes of the formidable passing and the ferocious energy which make him brilliant, but they were few and far between.

The 20-year-old was the toast of Europe last season when he won Euro 2016 with Portugal

Too often, his poor positioning and aimless dribbling would expose a player who looked a little overwhelmed by his new environment. In one of his last appearances, a league game against Hoffenheim, he spent much of the time being berated by Xabi Alonso. 

Perhaps it was simply an environmental issue. When asked about how he was settling in to life in Munich last February, Sanches told a Portuguese radio station that he was 'eating more Bratwurst than Bifana'. 

Endearing in its positivity, it was not the most convincing proof that Sanches felt at home in Munich. Indeed, he often looked lost. Had it not been for his friendship with David Alaba, the homesickness might have been even more debilitating. 

The Austrian was the one senior Bayern player who appeared to actively take Sanches under his wing, with the young Portuguese even imitating the way Alaba wore his headphones.

'Renato is a very good player, he showed that at the Euros,' Alaba told Sport1 recently. 'I think he should do what is best for him, and follow his gut feeling. He has a rosy future ahead of him.' 

The Portugal international has never looked quite comfortable in his surroundings in Munich

That is an opinion shared by many at the club, despite the frustration of Sanches' first twelve months. That is why, throughout the summer, Bayern have insisted that they would prefer a loan deal, and why Swansea were a near perfect option. 

'We wanted Renato to go to a club at which he can play at a high level, with a coach who will put faith in him,' said Rummenigge. 

Paul Clement will not only put faith in him, but is also close enough to Bayern and Carlo Ancelotti that there will be no problem getting Sanches back if he does blossom in the Premier League. It is a clever move which would benefit everyone. 

Sanches is almost guaranteed game time, Swansea get a brilliant young superstar, and Bayern need not worry about losing him. 

The Welsh club, after all, would never expect to keep Sanches for very long, and were happy to accept that there would be no option to buy built into the deal.

Sanches is guaranteed a lot of top-flight game time under Paul Clement at the Liberty Stadium

That is what marked them out from the other suitors. The likes of Liverpool, PSG and AC Milan insisted on having the option to buy, and Manchester United were never in the market for a loan deal - Swansea were the risk-free option. 

A safe Bel-Air for Sanches to develop under the watchful eye of Uncle Paul. If all goes to plan, Bayern's Fresh Prince will be back in Munich in 12 months time. Perhaps, by then, he will be in a position to challenge the likes of Thiago, Corentin Tolisso and Vidal. 

In the meantime, one of Europe's most promising young midfielders will be at Swansea. In the maddest of mad summers, it could prove to be one of the most sensible moves of the lot.