Nuno Santos injury twist: Sporting star set for earlier return | OneFootball

Nuno Santos is still recovering and, despite the various timelines for the left-footer’s return to competition, it is expected that the player will be back in 2025, but most likely only in December. For now, the ‘number 11’ is doing everything to step onto the pitch before the start of 2026.

At Alvalade there are high expectations that the Portuguese footballer can be a true ‘winter reinforcement’ for Rui Borges’ team; however, Nuno Santos’ adaptation and return will be managed calmly to avoid greater risks, even if it means delaying the process for a few more weeks. At this moment, at Sporting, the forecast is that the player will return to training in November, reports the newspaper Record.

For now, the 30-year-old Portuguese is approaching one of the most important stages of his recovery. After reintegration, Nuno Santos still faces a long phase to begin cycles of muscle mass recovery and competitive rhythm.

The Sporting wing-back was injured on October 26, 2024, almost 11 months ago. It’s worth recalling this is the third time in his career he has suffered a serious injury to his right knee. He had already suffered a patellar tendon rupture in that area in 2015, when he played for Benfica, and again in 2018, when he represented Rio Ave.

In 2024/25, wearing the Sporting shirt, Nuno Santos – valued at 9 million euros – made only 10 appearances: seven in the Liga Portugal Betclic, two in the Champions League, and one in the Portuguese Cup. In the 606 minutes he spent on the pitch, the player scored one goal (Sturm Graz) and provided one assist (Portimonense).

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