With Hjulmand's exit, Tonel says who should be Sporting's new captain | OneFootball

Gonçalo Inácio remains one of the most talked-about names when it comes to Sporting’s transfer market. The Portugal international has been tipped as one of the players most likely to leave Alvalade in the summer and, for Tonel, the 2026 World Cup could play an important role in increasing the centre-back’s value.

In an interview with Desporto ao Minuto, the former Lions defender analysed the final stretch of the season for the ‘number 25’, acknowledging that his performances have dropped in recent months, but refusing to link that dip solely to the player. “He’s a player with the World Cup ahead of him, where I believe he could be a starter for our national team. He is always subject to the market, isn’t he? A player who had a good season, even if not a fantastic one. It’s true that the game against Torreense wasn’t good, but nobody plays well all the time. There are days when things just don’t go so well, and Gonçalo Inácio had one of those days in the Torreense match, but that doesn’t make him the worst player. It was a bad day, but he still has the World Cup ahead of him".

Tonel truly believes that the defender developed at Alcochete has what it takes to play an important role for Portugal during the tournament. “He can believe that he will be a starter at the World Cup. Of course, it will depend a lot on how our coach views his performances in training, his physical condition, the opponent, the partner beside him. Gonçalo is not alone in the national team and fortunately for us in Portugal, there are more centre-backs, there are more good options. Right now, I think he is a candidate to get plenty of minutes at the World Cup. Things can go better or worse. But as I say, he is a player subject to the market".

Asked about a possible departure, the former Portugal international admitted that the centre-back may feel attracted by more competitive challenges and financially more rewarding opportunities. “I don’t know what is going through his mind, but I believe that if he were to move to a league better than ours, to a team better than Sporting, and to have other financial conditions as well, he would have that desire. But if nothing comes along that really motivates him, I think Gonçalo has everything it takes, if he stays at Sporting for several years, to start becoming, if he isn’t already, one of Sporting’s great leaders”.

On the team’s collective drop-off in the final stretch of the season, Tonel felt the problem affected the whole squad. “It wasn’t just Gonçalo. The whole team dropped in performance. Sporting ended the season in a tremendous slump, but it had already been noticeable for two or three months. It was a physical decline that affected not only Gonçalo, but practically all the players”. The former centre-back also highlighted the complementarity between Gonçalo Inácio and Diomande, believing they form a very balanced partnership.

If he stays at Alvalade, Tonel sees the Portugal international as one of the natural candidates to take on greater responsibility in the dressing room. “I believe that if Gonçalo stays, he could even become one of the captains. He is Portuguese, came through Sporting’s academy and has the qualities for that as well. Although many times you don’t need the armband to have leadership. The armband is a visible symbol to the outside. Those who are there every day, who walk into the dressing room, who are with the group... The group feels who the leaders are".

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