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Sporting tie down Izmailov on long-term contract

Barcelona intensify interest in Lions’ captain Joao Moutinho

Russian midfielder Marat Izmailov will be staying at Sporting after a successful first full season at the Lisbon club on loan.

The Lions have paid Lokomotiv Moscow the 4.5m euro asking price stipulated last summer when the original loan deal was agreed. Sporting had until 15 June to exercise their option to make the move permanent, and the Russian’s solid first season in Portugal suggests it is good business.

Izmailov played 45 matches for Sporting in all competitions in 2007/08, scoring seven goals, and today put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at Alvalade for five years.

Securing the skilful midfielder’s signature is the latest in a string of deals agreed in the last fortnight that has seen Fabio Rochemback, Helder Postiga, Leandro Grimi and now the Russian commit their future to Paulo Bento’s team.

With Marco Caneira also expected to sign in the coming days, many are asking how Sporting, still facing crippling debt despite big-money sales over recent years, will finance the purchases.

Moutinho happy with interest

One answer could be the sale of captain Joao Moutinho. The midfielder has been heavily linked to a move to Spanish giants Barcelona in recent days. The pocket dynamo’s sensational performance in Portugal’s opening Euro 2008 match against Turkey has further heightened speculation surrounding his future.

Moutinho himself says that “it’s normal that the big clubs are looking at the Euros. It’s always good to know clubs are interested in you, but all I’m doing now is concentrating on Portugal and after the Euro we’ll see what happens.

“Questions about my future should be asked after the Euros. I see a lot of things in the papers, but all of us here, including Cristiano, are solely concentrated on the European Championships.”