Rui Borges springs a surprise and pulls plug on Sporting signing | OneFootball

Rui Borges has already made a decision for the new season: the right wing of the attack will not be strengthened. Despite the expected changes to the squad, the Sporting coach believes the area is well covered and is counting on Geny Catamo and Luís Guilherme to share minutes throughout 2026/27.

According to the newspaper A Bola, the two players are the coaching staff’s choices for the position, maintaining the idea of using two left-footed players on the right flank. Geny Catamo is still seen as one of the most important members of the squad, to the point that Sporting consider him untouchable, unless an offer comes close to the €60 million release clause. Luís Guilherme, meanwhile, continues to enjoy the club’s full confidence after the investment of around €14 million made in January to sign him from West Ham.

Rui Borges’ intention is to promote a rotation similar to the one used at the start of last season between Geny Catamo and Geovany Quenda. That plan ended up being interrupted when the young Portuguese player suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, an injury that kept him out of competition for several months.

Geny Catamo heads into the new season after the best year of his career, in which he recorded 47 appearances, eight goals and four assists. His performances, especially in the Champions League, sent his market value soaring and reinforced the Mozambican international’s status inside the Sporting dressing room.

Luís Guilherme, meanwhile, is looking to establish himself once and for all after a first half-season hampered by an injury that kept him out for seven matches. The 20-year-old Brazilian is seen as a more direct player than Geny Catamo, but he will now have to improve his inward movements and combination play. While the right wing is settled, the same cannot be said of the left flank, where Sporting are still looking for two reinforcements in this summer transfer window.

Check out this goal by Geny Catamo:

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