Sporting CP have been in a crisis since allowing manager Ruben Amorim to join Manchester United on Nov. 11. Amorim led the Portuguese giants to two Primeira Liga titles in four years and was on a run of 11 wins in 11 games when he departed. The club have struggled since, and on Christmas Day, Sporting fired his successor João Pereira after only eight games, replacing him with Vitoria boss Rui Borges.
Sporting were leading the league at the time of Amorim’s departure but are now one point behind Benfica in second, and they were third in the new 36-team UEFA Champions League group standings but now sit 17th.
Worse yet, the January transfer window will present an opportunity for some of Europe’s top clubs to try and sign some of their star players. Of course, Amorim’s Man United top the list, though sources have told ESPN that United do not have a lot of funds for new arrivals unless they raise funds from the departures of players such as Marcus Rashford.
Yet there certainly will be plenty of interest in Sporting’s best players when the window opens. Striker Viktor Gyökeres leads the way. With a release clause of €100 million, almost every top club on the continent has expressed interest, but who are the other players who will be on the scouting radar?
Geny Catamo, 23, Wing-back / Winger
One of United’s priorities is to sign a wing-back to play in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system and Catamo can play on either flank, despite being predominantly left-footed. Unusually for a Sporting player, the Mozambique international didn’t arrive in Portugal until he was 18 and, because he didn’t have much experience in the academy before graduating to the first team, he still has some tactical and technical elements to polish in his game.
Catamo’s performances in 2024 have been impressive and his willingness to attack has been showcased by his immense ball-carrying ability (5.3 progressive carries per 90 minutes in 2024), eagerness to dribble at opponents and forward passing.
He’s essentially a winger, so his main area for improvement is on defense. Some added assertiveness in defensive duels and smarter positioning are required for him to build on his positive start and succeed at a higher level.
Geovany Quenda, 17, Winger / Wing-back
A star at the youth level for both club and country, the 17-year-old has introduced himself in style since Amorim handed him his first-team debut at the start of the campaign. A pure winger with his main strengths coming in the attacking phase, the Portugal U21 international has shone in an unfamiliar wing-back role on the right so far.
Though his youthful enthusiasm and energy have helped mitigate his defensive shortcomings to an extent, many of the clubs interested in signing him (with the possible exception of Manchester United) likely would offer him a more traditional role as a winger. Indeed, his quick burst of pace from a standing start makes him particularly hard to stop and, though he has scored only once, there’s plenty of power and precision in his left foot when he confidently cuts inside (he averages 4.5 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes).
Being so fast and nimble, with top-class dribbling skills to match, Quenda can successfully take on defenders even when facing a double-team, a trait that often comes in useful when facing sides that sit behind the ball.
Ousmane Diomande, 21, Centre-back
The commanding Ivory Coast international has already built a reputation as one of the world’s most promising centre-backs under 21. A mainstay in the first XI since joining Sporting two years ago, Diomande can be featured anywhere across a back three, though he generally prefers the middle to allow for more attacking liberty.
Despite being a robust, aerially dominant defender, the 6-foot-3 Diomande is at his best when he can carry the ball out of defence or burst forward. In those situations, he uses his powerful physique and long strides to maximum effect as he plows through opposing lines.
Brilliant in Sporting’s title-winning campaign last season, he sometimes appears too casual, with lapses of concentration and positional errors (as seen in the 5-1 defeat against Arsenal in Champions League), limiting his development.
Morten Hjulmand, 25, Defensive midfielder
Having allowed defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte (now at Man United) to leave for Paris Saint-Germain for €60m in July 2023, Sporting moved swiftly to secure the Denmark international from Lecce for just €19.5m. And the transfer has been a great success.
Though Hjumand is less aggressive than Ugarte — despite being diligent in his defensive work — he excels in possession, always asking for the ball in central areas and expertly spreading it (10-plus progressive passes per 90 minutes at a 79% success rate.) His ability to construct moves from deeper areas has been priceless for the attacking rhythm of this Sporting side.
Hjulmand turned out to be such an excellent leader that he assumed the captaincy prior to the start of this season, and he has been a remarkably consistent performer. Any elite club in need of a safe, controlling midfield presence should look no further.
Gonçalo Inacio, 23, Centre-back
Inacio has seen Benfica’s António Silva and Sporting teammate Diomande grab most of the spotlight when promising centre-backs from the Portuguese league are highlighted. Though all three are genuinely world-class players for their age group, Inacio could be the most reliable.
The left-footed defender, who has already played over 150 competitive games for the first team since graduating from the academy in 2020, stands out for his calm-yet-resolute demeanor, brilliant passing ability (nine progressive passes per 90 minutes, which is exceptional for a centre-back), and tactical awareness.
Similar to Diomande, Inacio is more than capable of bringing the ball out of defence — underscored by the fact he got three assists from open play last season, and already has the same tally this season — and he also loves to hit precise, crossfield passes to switch play. His physical stature and positional ability also render him highly useful for set pieces in either box.