Leonino exclusive - João Gião rejects loan, wants Sporting full-back | OneFootball

Nacional continue to keep David Moreira very much on their radar to strengthen the left side of the defence, but there is one condition considered essential to move forward with the deal. Leonino knows that the Madeira club will only consider signing the Sporting player on a permanent deal, ruling out, for now, a possible loan.

The possibility of working again with João Gião, the coach who managed the full-back in Sporting’s B team and who now leads Nacional, appeals to the island club. Even so, the Madeira board want to secure the player’s rights on a permanent basis, a scenario that will now have to be assessed by the SAD led by Frederico Varandas.

Nacional are not alone in the race for the player. Gil Vicente, Moreirense and Polish side Jagiellonia are also keeping tabs on the full-back and are closely following developments in the process. At 22, David Moreira continues to be seen as an asset with potential, with a contract with the Lions running until June 2028.

Although he managed to make his debut for the Sporting first team in the 2024/25 Portuguese Cup final against Benfica, the defender did not play any further minutes for the senior side during the last season. Strong competition in his position ended up limiting his opportunities to establish himself in the main squad.

In 2025/26, David Moreira was one of the most-used players in Sporting’s B team. The full-back featured in 33 matches for the side coached by João Gião, playing an important role in the team, although he did not score any goals throughout the season.

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