Watch out, Sporting! Benfica keen on Lions target, rivalry heats up | OneFootball

Benfica have entered the race for a target who had already been closely tracked by Sporting, opening the door to a possible duel off the pitch as well. At the centre of it is Issa Doumbia, a Venezia midfielder who has been attracting growing attention.

According to information from Nico Schira, the Eagles have already sent scouts to watch the player live in recent matches, a clear sign that the interest is real and could develop quickly. On Sporting’s side, the name was already highly rated internally, and there are even indications of a possible move.

Sporting are considering moving forward with an offer in the region of €10 million, but Venezia are holding firm: they will only negotiate for figures around €15 million. A scenario that could leave room for Benfica to step in and change the course of the deal.

It is worth remembering that the midfielder is not only being courted by the Lisbon clubs. Inter Milan and AC Milan are also closely monitoring the progress of the Italy Under-21 international, who is enjoying a standout season in the Italian second division.

At 22, Doumbia has eight goals and four assists in 34 matches this season, numbers that confirm the rise of a midfielder who is beginning to make a name for himself. Now, it remains to be seen which of the rivals will take the decisive step — in a "derby" that promises to heat up the market.

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