Swansea fans couldn’t quite believe it when they landed Renato Sanches on loan at the start of last season.

The then-20-year-old had helped Portugal win Euro 2016 just 12 months previously, where he was named Young Player of the Tournament.

But the move was a nightmare from start to finish.

Even before he played a match, Sanches was dealt a blow after the Premier League made him change his squad number from 85 to 35 due to regulations.

And it just got worse from there.

On the pitch, the youngster - who signed for Bayern Munich for an initial €35million fee that could reach €80m if all add-ons are achieved - struggled massively in the Premier League.

He made just 15 appearances in all competitions, failing to score and failing to save Swansea from relegation.

What had happened to the Portuguese wonderkid?

Sanches returned to Bayern this summer but surely he wouldn’t be getting minutes at the German giants considering he barely got in a relegated Swansea side last season.

However, what’s happened to the midfielder in recent months is nothing short of remarkable.

Sanches scored a goal against former club Benfica in the Champions League last month - but that’s only the start.

Defender Mats Hummels has described Sanches’ start to the campaign as “irresistible.”

While club legend Lothar Matthaus has also spoken about the youngster.

“The Bavarians now have the Sanches that they wanted,” Lothar Matthaus told Bild recently.

That is the same Mattaus that said Sanches “didn't deserve to play more” during his debut season at Bayern.

And Matthaus even compared the 21-year-old to himself.

"He will get games this season, which will help to keep building his self-confidence. Of course, he will have to keep in shape to play that way. It was the same for me," Matthaus added.

“The way Sanches began and then scored the goal, it was similar to how I played. The commitment, dynamism, speed, participation, steadiness, he could have fallen twice en route to goal. But he wanted to get the goal he needed - he prevailed and received his reward.

“In that sense, he really reminded me of myself. I am overjoyed for him.”

It’s a comparison that his Bayern boss Nico Kovac agrees with.

"It's true that people fly off him left and right - just like they used to do with Lothar Matthaus,” the manager said.

"I'm delighted for Renato - I said yesterday that he was excellent in pre-season and it wouldn't be long before he plays."

From failing to impress in a relegated Swansea side to shining in a Bayern Munich side.

The turnaround in just a couple of months for Sanches has been astonishing.