Leonino exclusive: Afonso Pinto Coelho names Sporting's top signing | OneFootball

Sergi Altimira is Sporting’s standout signing of the preseason, according to Afonso Pinto Coelho. In this exclusive, the well-known Sporting supporter and member of the Hoje e Sempre Sporting Movement picked the Spanish midfielder as the new arrival who has impressed the most. The Cinco Violinos Trophy match, the departures of key figures such as Morten Hjulmand and Francisco Trincão, and the agreement between the board led by Frederico Varandas and the ultras were other topics discussed.

"Without wanting to be unfair to any of the new signings because, in general, they seem to me to be quality players who can add something, I would highlight, on the one hand, Sergi Altimira for the way he is asserting himself on the pitch and earning space in the team, and, on the other hand, a youth academy player, Flávio Gonçalves, for the great quality he already shows from a technical point of view and also for the maturity he is already displaying given his age," he told our newspaper.

The Sporting supporter also analyzed Saturday’s win over Monaco in the Cinco Violinos Trophy and said he was pleased with the signs shown by Rui Borges’ team, although he issued an important warning. "Sporting’s matches in this preseason have shown very positive signs, even knowing that the squad is not yet complete, which will only happen when the summer transfer window closes. However, even with very positive signs in terms of the quality of the performances, I think we need to be cautious with any analysis that can be made, because the season of official matches only begins with the trip to Amadora on August 8," he said.

Regarding the transfer market, Afonso Pinto Coelho expressed some concerns about the possibility of the Club losing several major figures (Hjulmand, Trincão, Pote and Diomande) in a short space of time. "It seems to me like too many departures at the same time of players who were key pieces in recent seasons. However, only time will tell whether the strategy was the right one, and it will depend a lot on the new signings replacing the players who left, their integration, how long it takes to create new routines within the team and, more importantly than anything else, the sporting results in the near future," he said.

In conclusion, another of the topics addressed was the new understanding between the board led by Frederico Varandas and the ultras, which will allow the return of the Curva Sul. For the member of the Hoje e Sempre Sporting Movement, the decision could bring immediate benefits to the atmosphere at Alvalade. "I think the reported agreement with the GOAs (Organized Supporters’ Groups), Juventude Leonina and Brigada Ultras Sporting, could help improve the atmosphere in the stadium with a united Curva Sul, maximizing support for the team, as could already be clearly felt yesterday by those who were at the stadium. I hope these protocols prove lasting and are built on solid foundations, because Sporting will always be the one to gain the most from that," he concluded.

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