Palmeiro's top target left out of squad and could be heading to Sporting | OneFootball

Moncef Zekri was once again left out of Mechelen’s options, and the situation strengthens the possibility of a move to Sporting. The 17-year-old left-back was not called up for the trip to Charleroi, after also missing the previous round’s match against Standard Liège.

Despite being a regular presence in the Belgian team’s starting eleven, the Morocco under-17 international has been left out of the matchday squads precisely at a time when negotiations are taking place withBernardo Palmeiro. His absence therefore appears to be another sign that the youngster’s departure could be close.

Sporting and Zekri have reportedly already reached an agreement in principle on a contract, while the deal with Mechelen is valued at around €3.5 million fixed, with additional amounts potentially to be added if certain objectives are met.

Even so, the Lions want to make sure there are no physical issues before moving forward definitively with the signing. Zekri missed 17 matches last season due to injuries, which is why the Sporting structure requested that a full set of medical tests be carried out in advance to assess the full-back’s physical condition.

Rui Borges, for his part, still has not confirmed the Moroccan’s name. Asked about the interest, the coach merely explained that Sporting are looking for a left-back and are assessing different profiles on the market, among both young and more experienced players, before making a final decision.

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