Issa Doumbia swapped Benfica for Sporting and agent reveals why | OneFootball

Issa Doumbia was one of the reinforcements secured by Sporting in this summer transfer window, but the Italian midfielder could have taken a very different path. Cheikh Sadibou Fall, the player’s agent, revealed that Benfica were among the clubs interested in signing the former Venezia player, also explaining the reasons that led the athlete to choose Alvalade.

"It’s not just about the clubs’ names. When a club like Sporting comes to the negotiating table, you know it is on the same level as Roma or Milan. We are not talking about a small club. Sporting are Sporting, and that means the player can attract interest from major clubs in the Premier League, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France or Germany. Those clubs were there, but we chose Sporting because it was the club we were looking for", he said in an interview with the newspaper O Jogo.

Asked directly about Benfica’s interest, the agent did not hide that the Eagles were in the race, although he avoided going into details. "I don’t want to comment, but obviously they were there. Of course they were there, but I don’t want to comment out of respect for Benfica. We chose Sporting and I want to focus only on Sporting and not on the past", he said.

Doumbia’s agent also explained that the Lions’ persistence was decisive in the outcome of the deal. "Sporting are one of the biggest teams when we talk about clubs competing in European competitions, they have a great history and players like Cristiano Ronaldo or Luís Figo came through their academy. Another factor was the commitment we felt from Sporting. They had wanted the player since December. I know the coach wanted him, the whole club wanted him. When you see that, you simply have to say yes", he admitted.

In the 2025/26 season, playing for Venezia, Issa Doumbia — valued at €20 million — made 38 official appearances: 37 in Italy’s Serie A and one in the Coppa Italia. In the 3,159 minutes he spent on the pitch, the 22-year-old midfielder scored 10 goals and provided five assists.

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