Renato Sanches will jump to a better level if given time, insists new Swansea boss Carlos Carvalhal

Swansea City manager Carlos Carvalhal expects Renato Sanches to naturally jump to “a better level” over the next few months, and argued that it is too often forgotten how young the player still is due to his CV.

The 20-year-old Euro 2016 winner has generally been disappointing for the Welsh club this season, having arrived to much excitement from Bayern Munich, but his form has picked up in the last two matches under the new manager.

Carvalhal stressed that just shows he is still at an age when he is learning the game, and “a boy”, and feels Sanches has benefitted from a clear role in the team.

“Renato, I think he was 20 years old two months ago or something,” the Swansea boss said.

“He is a boy, he is still improving, he is not a player who knows everything about football. He is in the process to be a better player. He did very well in Benfica and did very well in the national team of Portugal but he needs to improve things and he must learn. Also we must win and get confidence.

“We give him a clear role in the last game and in this game also.

“The first game [the 2-1 win against Watford], he didn't start so well but second half he played a better level and I think after three days, just three days, he jump to another level.

“I believe that I am sure he will play a better level in the future because Swansea contracted really a very good player but a boy who is still learning and not a ready player who you can put on the team and say play and do your things. Because if you do that it will be difficult to win, I am not saying that in the past to criticise. My feelings is he needs a role and confidence and I believe that he will do a very good second half of the season.”

It had been thought that the fact Sanches finally got to work under a Portuguese compatriot in Carvalhal has helped him, but the Swansea manager insisted they had been speaking in English - just like with everyone else - and that he hadn’t given the player any extra instructions.

“I am not communicating very much with him I must tell you,” Carvalhal added.

“I talk with him in English most of the time like I talk with the other players. I don't make any difference to him. What I said to him I try to say to the other players to give confidence to them to try to believe in themselves and also to put them in a clear role when they have the ball and when they don't have the ball and when they lose the ball.

“What we planned so far I think they have done very well and Renato also is one of the players who I think is doing very well.”