Sporting beat Benfica, close to sealing third signing | OneFootball

Sporting are very close to securing another signing for next season and all signs point to Issa Doumbia soon becoming a player for the Lions. The Venezia midfielder remains a priority in the overhaul of Sporting’s midfield, and negotiations have now entered a decisive phase.

According to Italian journalist Nicolò Schira, the two clubs held a meeting in Milan last night aimed at bringing positions closer and finalising the deal. The same source says that the transfer could reach €20 million, including add-ons, with the Italy under-21 international set to be tied to Sporting until 2031.

The SAD led by Frederico Varandas believes an agreement could be reached soon. The meeting with representatives of the player and Venezia was scheduled for 8pm local time, at a moment when the green-and-whites are looking to speed up the process to quickly secure another important piece for Rui Borges’ squad.

Sporting have ended up gaining the upper hand over Benfica, who were also closely monitoring the Italian midfielder. The possibility of playing in the Champions League appears to be one of the factors that most appeals to Issa Doumbia, a goal the player himself recently acknowledged.

“I want to become one of the best midfielders in the world and be remembered as an important figure in football, even off the pitch. I remember that when I played for AlbinoLeffe I already dreamed of playing in the Champions League with my friend Momo Zoma. We dreamed of competing in the tournament together, and we were always supporting each other,” said the young Italian midfielder.

If the transfer goes through, Issa Doumbia will become Sporting’s third signing for 2026/27, after Pedro Lima and Rodrigo Zalazar, whose move from Braga was completed for €30 million, becoming the biggest deal between Portuguese clubs in the history of the Liga Portugal Betclic.

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