Varandas has a trump card to bring João Palhinha to Sporting | OneFootball

João Palhinha remains Sporting’s top priority to strengthen the midfield next season and, by all indications, Frederico Varandas has decided to personally take charge of one of the most important dossiers of Sporting’s summer.

According to Record newspaper, the president of the green-and-whites has been leading the contacts regarding the Portuguese international, in an operation where there is even a major argument being kept in reserve to convince the player: the possibility of taking on the captain’s armband.

Morten Hjulmand’s likely departure forces Sporting to redefine not only the center of the pitch, but also the hierarchy within the dressing room. Added to that are the uncertainties surrounding names such as Daniel Bragança, Pedro Gonçalves and Francisco Trincão, players who represent an important part of the leadership and Sporting identity built in recent years.

In that context, João Palhinha appears as an almost perfect solution for the green-and-white structure. Besides his ability to play as a defensive midfielder, the player developed in Alcochete is seen as someone capable of taking on a leadership role similar to the one Hjulmand played on and off the pitch. Although Gonçalo Inácio is currently one of the team’s captains, internally there is a perception that the center-back’s profile is different from that of the Danish midfielder.

Sporting’s SAD is therefore willing to wait for the player’s decision. Left out of Roberto Martínez’s plans for the 2026 World Cup, Palhinha now has the chance to calmly assess the next steps of his career. Tottenham, the club where he played on loan last season, still holds a purchase option set at 30 million euros, but his future remains open.

On holiday in Portugal, the 30-year-old midfielder is currently in Lisbon, and being close to his family is one of the factors carrying the most weight at this stage of reflection. According to the same source, several family members have even been encouraging the Portuguese international to return to Sporting, at a time when Alvalade continues to hold onto hope of once again counting on one of the most remarkable players to come through Sporting’s academy in recent years.

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