Sporting to triple key Rui Borges player's wages to fend off bids | OneFootball

Maxi Araújo has decided to stay at Sporting for the 2026/27 season, ruling out the possibility of a departure that he had left open during the World Cup. The Uruguayan international was convinced by Sporting’s project and is expected to take on an even more important role in Rui Borges’ new squad.

According to Record, his stay will be accompanied by a contract renewal and a significant pay rise. The player, who currently earns around €700,000 net per season, is expected to triple his salary and join the group of the squad’s highest-paid players.

The 26-year-old winger was wanted by Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Juventus, among other clubs. The rise in his value during the World Cup led him to consider a move to a more competitive league, but the arguments presented by the green-and-white hierarchy ultimately proved decisive.

Maxi Araújo will be one of the main figures in a team undergoing major changes following the departures of Morten Hjulmand, Francisco Trincão and the likely transfer of Pedro Gonçalves. The Uruguayan could even become one of Sporting’s captains, taking on greater responsibility within the group.

The new deal is expected to keep the player tied to the Lions beyond 2029, when his current contract expires. The club does not intend to consider offers below €60 million in this transfer window, but it has reportedly told Maxi that it would be open to negotiating a move next summer if an offer deemed suitable comes in.

Playing in the Champions League again also weighed heavily in the footballer’s decision. Maxi Araújo recognises that his performances in Europe’s top club competition were key to attracting the interest of the continent’s biggest clubs, and he intends to use that stage again to further increase his market value.

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