Sporting star close to joining Bruno Lage for €20m-€25m | OneFootball

Pedro Gonçalves is getting closer and closer to leaving Sporting, with Saudi Arabia the most likely destination. Although Al Ittihad and Al Diriyah remain interested in signing the Portugal international, it is the club managed by Bruno Lage that is in the strongest position to secure the player.

The deal is expected to be completed for a fee between €20 million and €25 million, an amount that matches the current demands of Sporting’s board, according to the newspaper 'A Bola'. Talks are expected to speed up next week, after the end of the training camp in Lagos.

The Lions’ final commitment in the Algarve will be against French side Strasbourg, managed by Hugo Oliveira, and once that match is over, the process is expected to enter a decisive phase. Jorge Mendes continues to lead the negotiations between the parties.

Although Sporting initially set €30 million as the benchmark price to let Pote leave, the market has forced the club’s officials to adjust their demands. Lower transfer activity in a summer marked by the World Cup has led Sporting’s board to accept a lower fee.

During his time at Sporting, Pedro Gonçalves made 243 appearances, scored 80 goals and provided 53 assists, winning three league titles, two League Cups, one Portuguese Cup and one Super Cup. The Lions invested €13.5 million to secure 90% of the player’s economic rights, meaning Famalicão will be entitled to 10% of the value of any future transfer.

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