Renato Sanches is set to press charges over claims made by French manager Guy Roux that he is older than he says.
The 18-year-old, who recently signed for Bayern Munich from Benfica, has been a revelation at Euro 2016, bringing dynamism and attacking precision to Portugal's midfield, and his performances have seen him become a firm favourite to start in the final on Sunday.
However, earlier in the tournament, French manager Guy Roux told a Bulgarian television station that Sanches was likely 23 or 24-years-old, rather than 18.
According to Portuguese outlet Publico, the player intends to take legal action over the claims, and will also pursue a similar course of action against Bruno de Carvalho, president of Sporting Clube de Portugal (often referred to as Sporting Lisbon).
In a post on Facebook, Carvalho stated that given Sanches says he was born in 1997, there should be a record of his birth and that "they should publish the birth certificate from the Amadora-Sintra hospital and resolve the issue."
Sanhces' legal team sought an apology for the remark, given the Civil Registry in Amadora does confirm the player's date of birth, but when one was not forthcoming, they decided to proceed with charges.
Portugal manager Fernando Santos brushed aside talk of the reports in a recent press conference saying "he was born in Portugal in the same way I was born in Portugal. He's 18-years-old, I'm 61. It's a joke."
Via Publico
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