Setback in Sporting and Eduardo Quaresma contract talks | OneFootball

Negotiations between Sporting and Eduardo Quaresma over a contract renewal are, at this moment, completely frozen. Although there had already been expectations that the deal was well on track, the process has seen no progress in recent weeks and is now on hold with no concrete developments.

The 24-year-old defender’s contract is valid until June 2028, and both parties are willing to extend the relationship. However, the priority of Sporting’s board, led by Frederico Varandas, has mainly been focused on shaping and strengthening the squad under Rui Borges, which has led to the defender’s file being temporarily pushed into the background.

What is certain is that throughout the season, the centre-back wore the captain’s armband on some occasions, as Rui Borges is said to have asked the player to take on greater responsibility and have a more active voice in the Lions’ dressing room. In order to have more regular playing time in 2026/27, the centre-back will face strong competition in the deeper defensive sector from players such as Debast, Diomande and Gonçalo Inácio. However, the transfer market could still determine whether or not there will be departures in that area.

As for Quaresma, the player received an improved contract as a result of his commitment to the Club. It is worth recalling that in the 2025 winter transfer window, the centre-back attracted interest and offers from Bundesliga clubs, and not even the higher salary offers were enough to make him leave, as he wanted to continue wearing the lion on his chest.

On the pitch, Edu is valued by Rui Borges for his versatility, as he can play both in central defence and at right-back, a role the coach has already turned to countless times. For now, before beginning to cement his place in the team, the Sporting defender will enjoy a holiday period before returning for pre-season training. In this way, we will see whether 2026/27 will mark the player’s breakthrough season.

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