Race for Issa Doumbia heats up and Sporting see price soar | OneFootball

Issa Doumbia remains one of Sporting’s main targets to strengthen the midfield, but the deal is threatening to become more complicated due to the growing number of clubs interested in the Italy Under-21 international. After Newcastle and Everton, Juventus and Fiorentina have now also emerged as attentive to the Venezia midfielder.

Doumbia ended the season in great form in Italian football, helping Venezia win Serie B and secure an immediate return to the top flight. The 22-year-old midfielder made 37 official league appearances — plus one match in the Coppa Italia — having started on 36 occasions, while also scoring eight league goals, two in the cup, and providing five assists.

Those numbers further strengthened the Italian international’s status as one of the standout figures in the Venetian side and explain the strong interest coming from several leagues. In addition to Sporting and the English clubs, Roma have also been mentioned as interested in the midfielder, while Benfica have also gathered information about the player.

Even so, Sporting were among the first clubs to make a concrete move. The SAD led by Frederico Varandas offered the player terms for a five-season contract and opened negotiations with Venezia, who at an initial stage were looking for a minimum fee of €15 million.

However, the rise in competition has significantly increased the Italian club’s demands. Venezia are now looking for figures close to €20 million and, with new suitors entering the race, are even considering raising the bar above €25 million, a scenario that could force Sporting to reassess the deal’s viability.

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