Sporting set for squad overhaul, with six exits all but certain | OneFootball

Sporting are preparing to enter one of their most decisive transfer windows in recent years. After a 2025/26 season that ended without a single trophy, the club’s board has already mapped out a plan to rebuild Rui Borges’ squad, and there are several departures that now seem almost inevitable at Alvalade.

the coach retains the full confidence of the structure led by Frederico Varandas. The Sporting board believe Rui Borges deserves to start 2026/27 with a more balanced and competitive squad, capable of challenging directly for the national title.

Even so, the coach faces a huge challenge: rebuilding a team deeply reshaped by the market. At this point, there are six players who are practically out of the plans for next season: Morten Hjulmand, Francisco Trincão, Geovany Quenda, Hidemasa Morita, Giorgi Kochorashvili and Souleymane Faye.

In Hjulmand’s case, there is a long-standing agreement with the board to facilitate his departure if offers above €40 million plus add-ons arrive. Sporting’s captain remains highly rated on the international market and was even mentioned as a target for José Mourinho at Real Madrid.

Francisco Trincão, meanwhile, could be preparing to feature in one of Sporting’s biggest sales of the summer. The winger feels the ideal time has come to return to the Premier League, with Liverpool among the clubs paying closest attention to his situation. Hidemasa Morita and Geovany Quenda’s exits were already expected, but the board also want to resolve the cases of Kochorashvili and Faye, two players who did not fully convince during the season.

Going the other way, there is a core group that Rui Borges considers virtually untouchable for 2026/27. Rui Silva, Iván Fresneda, Zeno Debast, Gonçalo Inácio, Eduardo Quaresma, João Simões, Luis Guilherme, Fotis Ioannidis, Luis Suárez, Nuno Santos and Rafael Nel are all part of the coach’s plans.

Even so, there are clear risks. Maxi Araújo remains one of the squad’s most sought-after assets after an outstanding Champions League campaign, while Ousmane Diomande continues to attract strong interest from England.

Pedro Gonçalves and Geny Catamo also remain highly valued, although Sporting do not intend to open negotiations unless offers deemed impossible to refuse arrive. Another sensitive case is Daniel Bragança’s. At 26, the midfielder is open to a new experience, and his future will depend on the offers that may come in this transfer window.

With so much uncertainty, the board have already stepped up efforts to strengthen the squad. Rodrigo Zalazar, Issa Doumbia, Pedro Lima and Silas Andersen are names that are practically done deals to reinforce Rui Borges’ team even before the start of the 2026 World Cup.

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