Sporting on alert: Palhinha spotted with Amorim in Portugal, and more | OneFootball

João Palhinha remains Sporting’s main target to strengthen the number 6 position in 2026/27 and, now that the season has ended, the Portuguese international has been using his holiday time in Portugal to rest and reconnect with some familiar faces from the Sporting world.

As seen on social media, the 30-year-old midfielder was in Lisbon this Tuesday for a lunch that also brought together Francisco Trincão, Franco Israel and Ruben Amorim. The meeting was a chance to catch up at a time when all of them are going through different stages in their respective careers.

In João Palhinha’s case, his future remains open after last season’s loan spell at Tottenham. Not part of Vincent Kompany’s plans at Bayern Munich, the midfielder is still attracting interest in England, with Roberto De Zerbi appreciating the Portuguese international’s qualities and wanting to keep him in London.

Even so, Spurs’ decision-makers have reservations about moving forward with a €30 million investment in a 30-year-old player, the amount corresponding to the purchase option set in the loan deal. That scenario keeps Sporting alert to the situation, although the SAD led by Frederico Varandas knows that the midfielder’s high salary, above €9 million gross per year, represents a major obstacle in negotiations.

As for Francisco Trincão, who could end up leaving Sporting, he is preparing to join the Portugal national team camp on the road to the 2026 World Cup, while Franco Israel will still try to secure a place in Uruguay’s final squad. Meanwhile, Ruben Amorim has been without a club since leaving Manchester United in January and is expected to continue his career outside Portugal.

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