Sporting seek new Matheus Nunes and change transfer policy | OneFootball

Sporting are preparing a slight change in their recruitment policy for the reserve teams and intend to step up their focus on young talent from the lower tiers of Portuguese football. The strategy is to identify players with potential before the competition and integrate them into a more competitive environment.

After securing the signing of Catarino Pascoal, an 18-year-old midfielder from Atlético, the Lions continue to keep a close eye on the Liga 3, Campeonato de Portugal and Liga Revelação markets. The aim is to bring in players at low cost and speed up their development process at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy.

The recruited players are expected to join the B team, now coached by Tiago Fernandes, or the under-23s, who are now under the management of Leandro Grimi. The intention of Sporting’s hierarchy is to equip these squads with players capable of meeting competitive demands straight away, while also being prepared for higher levels.

Different business models are on the table. Sporting are open to permanent transfers, loans with an option to buy or even partial acquisitions of players’ economic rights, keeping heavier investment for a later stage if the players confirm the potential identified by the club’s decision-makers.

This strategy brings to mind one of Alvalade’s biggest recent success stories. Matheus Nunes was signed from Estoril in January 2019 for €950,000, in a deal that initially involved only half of his registration rights. After establishing himself at Sporting, the Portugal international would eventually be sold to Wolverhampton for €45 million, plus a further €5 million in add-ons, becoming an example that continues to inspire Sporting’s recruitment policy.

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