Sporting sign Helder Postiga

FC Porto striker makes surprise switch to capital

In an unexpected move, Sporting yesterday signed Portuguese national team striker Helder Postiga on a 3-year contract with an option of a further season.

“I am very happy to represent this great club. It’s a great opportunity to show what I’m worth and to re-launch my career,” said Postiga on the Lisbon club’s website.

Sporting will pay FC Porto 2.5m euros for 50% ownership of the player and Sporting youth team player Diogo Viana goes in the opposite direction to the Estadio do Dragao.

Postiga, who will wear shirt number 23, has so far failed to live up to his promise after bursting into the Porto side as a teenager and touted as having a glittering future ahead of him.

He has struggled to hold down a place at Porto, enjoying his best season under Jose Mourinho in 2002/03, scoring 18 goals in all competitions and earning a big-money move to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

However, things did not work out in England, and spells in France at Saint Etienne and Greece at Panathinaikos were equally fruitless.

After signing Rochemback, renewing with Derlei and now snapping up Postiga, Sporting are focussing on securing Izmailov and luring defenders Grimi and Caneira to Alvalade, while rumours surrounding the impending departure of either Joao Moutinho or Miguel Veloso or both refuse to die down.


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