Cristo González to Sporting? Spanish striker says he was approached and... | OneFootball

Cristo González was considered by the Sporting board to strengthen the team’s attack at the time managed by Ruben Amorim. However, the Spaniard – who heaped praise on the green and whites while still playing for Arouca – explained that he did not sign with the Lions because it depended on the transfer of another player.

"I was waiting for Sporting, but they needed a player to leave so I could join. I really liked that option, but it ended up not happening. The market closed in Europe, but it was still open in Qatar and Al Sadd had also been following me all summer. Everything happened very quickly," he told Marca newspaper.

Before heading to Qatar, Cristo informed his close circle: "I spoke with my family and told them that this opportunity had come up and that I was thinking of taking it. Besides having my life sorted out, it’s a competitive league and another market to showcase yourself, which is also nice."

"It’s the year I remember most fondly. I arrived at a club I didn’t want to join, because it was a team with little name, but if I hadn’t gone, I don’t know what would have happened. I arrived and they welcomed me phenomenally. It was a very family-oriented club, with no pressure, and that was what I needed," he explained, about his time at Arouca.

This season, wearing the Umm Salal shirt on loan from Al Sadd, Cristo González – valued at 5 million euros – played a total of 419 minutes in seven games, in which he scored two goals. In 2024/25, for Arouca, the Spanish striker scored 18 times in 42 matches, also assisting his teammates on 10 occasions.

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