Belgian midfielder wows all, Rui Borges wants gem in pre-season | OneFootball

Zaid Bafdili is one of the young players who could come to the fore at Sporting during pre-season, at a time when the Lions’ midfield is preparing for several changes. With some departures already confirmed and other possible moves in the department, Rui Borges wants to take a close look at the Belgian midfielder before making a decision on his immediate future.

As our newspaper reported exclusively on April 7, the player has been surprising Sporting’s decision-makers with his recent performances. Despite the excitement generated by his displays, the club’s officials want to take a cautious approach to his development (Read HERE).

Signed from Genk about a year ago, the 18-year-old began his journey in Alcochete with the junior team. The technical quality he has shown and his ability to play both as a defensive midfielder and in more advanced roles have allowed him to progress quickly within Sporting’s structure.

Rui Borges followed several of his performances and now wants to assess him during the first sessions of the new season. The coach may even include him in the pre-season training camp in Lagos and, if he lives up to expectations, he is expected to split his time between the first team and the B team.

In the 2025/26 season, playing for Sporting, Zaid Bafdili — valued at €350,000 — took part in 25 official matches for the juniors, under-23s and B team. In the 1,546 minutes he spent on the pitch, the midfielder scored one goal and provided three assists.

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