Doumbia, Silas Andersen and Pedro Lima reveal Sporting's new plan | OneFootball

Sporting are preparing a major overhaul of their midfield, and one of the traits shared by virtually all the reinforcements identified for next season is physicality. With Hidemasa Morita’s departure already confirmed and Morten Hjulmand’s looking increasingly likely, as well as uncertainty surrounding Daniel Bragança’s future, Rui Borges wants a midfield that is stronger in duels and better equipped to meet the demands of the league and the Champions League.

According to Record, the Sporting coach has asked the club’s hierarchy for players with a greater physical presence, both in terms of height and strength in challenges, looking to add more robustness to the heart of the team, without losing quality in possession and build-up play.

In that regard, the signings already secured or very close to joining Alvalade fit that profile perfectly. Issa Doumbia stands at 1.90 metres, Silas Andersen also reaches 1.90 metres, while Pedro Lima - presented on Thursday - is 1.84 metres tall. Added to those names is João Palhinha, the priority target to succeed Hjulmand and who, like the Italian and the Dane, is also 1.90 metres tall.

The difference compared to last season’s midfield is clear. Among the players most used by Rui Borges in 2025/26, only Morten Hjulmand was over 1.80 metres tall. Morita, meanwhile, one of the team’s most important players, had quite different characteristics, standing 1.77 metres tall and weighing 72 kilos.

In addition to technical quality, Sporting are looking to add physical dimension to the squad, in an attempt to build a more powerful midfield capable of meeting the domestic and European challenges that lie ahead.

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