Bernardo Palmeiro works behind the scenes to sign Sporting's new captain | OneFootball

Sporting continue to work behind the scenes in an attempt to bring João Palhinha back to Alvalade. Talks between the Portugal international and Sporting’s SAD are progressing positively and, at this stage, there is growing belief that the midfielder could join Rui Borges’ squad as early as 2026/27.

If Sporting move forward with a permanent deal, the board led by Frederico Varandas is expected to offer the Portuguese midfielder a three-year contract, with the player turning 31 in July. At Alvalade, Palhinha is seen not only as a sporting reinforcement, but also as a future dressing-room leader and one of the team’s captains.

The potential signing also fits into Sporting’s new recruitment strategy, more focused on players closely identified with Portuguese football and with strong ties to the Club. In that context, João Palhinha emerges as the ideal replacement for Morten Hjulmand, whose departure in the summer transfer window continues to be viewed as a highly likely scenario.

At present, the Portuguese midfielder is on loan at Tottenham from Bayern. The London club’s survival in the Premier League ended up favouring Sporting in the negotiations, as Palhinha would never consider playing in the Championship, but he also refused to push for a move before the club’s sporting situation was mathematically settled.

Despite Roberto De Zerbi’s desire to keep counting on the player, there is an important detail in the agreement reached between Bayern and Tottenham: the English club activated a clause allowing them to sign the midfielder permanently for €30 million. Even so, the deal still depends on the player’s consent.

On Sporting’s side, the process is being handled by Bernardo Palmeiro. The Lions’ general director of football knows the case well, not least because he was directly involved in Palhinha’s move from Fulham to Bayern in the past. In addition, he maintains a close relationship with the family of the player developed at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy, a factor that also helps in the negotiations.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.