Pote is as good as sold, but still stuck at Sporting: what's delaying exit | OneFootball

Pedro Gonçalves is set to leave Sporting this summer and already has a contract waiting for him with Al Ittihad, valid until June 2031. There is already an agreement in principle between the clubs for a transfer worth around €30 million.

The official announcement, however, still depends on the Saudi Investment Fund. The state body has already given the green light to the deal, but has not yet released the necessary funds for all parties to definitively complete the process.

Pote had hoped to already be available for the start of Al Ittihad’s AFC Champions League campaign, but will have to keep waiting. The expectation is that the bureaucratic situation will be resolved before the transfer window closes and allow the player to travel to Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the 'number 8' continues to work at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy. He remains part of the first-team squad, but no longer takes part in collective training sessions or features in Rui Borges’ plans for official matches, in a situation similar to that of Daniel Bragança and Giorgi Kochorashvili.

The Portugal international is beginning to show some impatience over the delay. “The ball is our best friend,” he recently wrote on social media. After six seasons at Sporting, his departure is considered a foregone conclusion, and all that remains is to overcome the final hurdle before beginning his adventure in Saudi football.

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