Football Season Guide

Sporting CP

In


Trincão (mid/att) Barcelona, SPA – on loan; Rochinha (mid/att) Guimarães; Hide Morita (mid) Santa Clara, St. Juste (def) Mainz, GER

Out


Feddal (r)(def) end of contract; João Palhinha (k)(mid) Fulham, ENG, Pablo Sarabia (k)(att) end of loan contract; Slimani (sp)(att) released

Sporting collected the very same 85 points of the previous season, but this time it wasn’t enough to lift the trophy, as Porto was much stronger in this last season. Still, fans are very happy with the way the team is going with Rúben Amorim at the helm. These last two seasons were considered very successful. In 2022, Sporting won the Taça da Liga against rivals Benfica. Promising Uruguayan goalkeeper Franco Israel was brought from Juventus, but of course the Spanish Adan will remain the number one option, for at least one more season. Dutch St. Juste arrived to replace Feddal at the back-3 and increase the quality in the area, as the Morrocan was starting to fade away. Juste’s right-footed profile will allow Inácio to finally start on the left side with Coates in the leading central role. However, The Dutch has been accumulating injuries, so he’s yet to be confirmed as a real new solid asset for Leões. Palhinha is the big departure, but one that was not only expected but already well taken care off, already last season. Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte is fully ready to step in and keep up with the quality in midfield together with team’s star Matheus Nunes. Morita is an important addition for the position, but he’s expected to be a useful reserve more than a starter. In attack, Sarabia didn’t extend his loan contract, as expected, so Leões will have to deal with the departure of their hottest player in 2021-22. The replacement will be either the new signing Trincão, arriving on loan from Barcelona to recover his best game, or Marcus Edwards, who is expected to finally lift of after a slow start in last season. Paulinho, Nuno Santos and Pedro Gonçalves are safe names in the team’s attack. Rochinha was brought to be a useful and versatile option. Dário Essugo, with 17, is the hottest jewel to be polish and revealed this year. Equally talented Daniel Bragança will sadly miss the first half of the season on treatment.

Target


Expected to be heavily involved in the title race.