Sporting CP Close to Signing Rui Borges, but Transfer Fee remains a Hurdle

Sporting CP is on the verge of appointing Rui Borges as their new manager, following a Wednesday meeting between Borges, club president Frederico Varandas, and sporting director Hugo Viana. The meeting aimed to finalize the details of Borges’s move to Alvalade.

According to reports, Sporting and Borges have reached a preliminary agreement on a two-year contract. This follows the recent dismissal of João Pereira, whose record of three wins in eight games proved insufficient. However, the transfer is not without its complications.

The primary obstacle lies in negotiations with Vitória SC, Borges’s previous club. While his release clause is €4 million—considerably less than the €8 million Manchester United paid for Rubens Amorim—the situation is more complex. Vitória SC claims that a clause in Borges’s original contract stipulates they receive half the release fee (€2 million) if the clause is activated mid-season.

Further complicating matters, Vitória SC is demanding an additional €500,000 due to Borges’s failure to provide the legally required 30-day notice before his departure.”They are tightening the rope,” sources say, referring to Vitória SC’s firm stance on the additional compensation.

As an inevitable result, Sporting CP may need to pay considerably more than initially anticipated to secure Borges’s services before their crucial match against rivals Benfica next Sunday in the 16th round of the Primeira Liga. The high-stakes match adds pressure to finalize the deal swiftly.

The situation highlights the complexities of international soccer transfers,even when a release clause exists. the added financial demands from Vitória SC underscore the importance of meticulous contract negotiation in professional sports.

For more on Vitória SC’s search for a replacement manager, see: vitória SC wants Ricardo Soares to replace Rui Borges… but there is an obstacle

Sporting CP is close to appointing Rui Borges as their new manager. [[1]] [[2]] [[3]]





However, the transfer is complicated by negotiations with his previous club, Vitória SC, who want €2 million (half of his release clause) and an additional €500,000 because he did not provide the legally required 30-day notice before his departure.