Sporting complete Grimi capture

AC Milan left-back signs loan deal until end of season

Sporting have contracted Argentine left-back Leandro Damian Grimi. The young defender comes on loan from AC Milan until the end of the season.

“It’s a huge challenge for me to come to one of Portugal’s great clubs. I hope to play regularly and give my best for the team. In Italy I wasn’t playing much so I think this change is a step forward in my career.”

Leandro Grimi is 22 years old and joined AC Milan in January 2007 after impressing at his two previous clubs in Argentina, Huracan and Racing, with a view to becoming the long-term replacement for the great Paolo Maldini.

However the Italian legend decided to prolong his career one more season, blocking Grimi’s path to first-team football. Sporting enquired about the player in the close season but he was eventually sent out on loan to Siena, where he started well but has recently fallen out of favour.

Grimi arrived in Lisbon on Monday and after passing his medical had no hesitation in signing on the dotted line.

“I didn’t get the chance to see Sporting-Porto live, but I saw the highlights on TV and I think Sporting fought well and deserved to win. I know that I’m at a big club that always fights for the title.”

“I know this is a club with some extremely talented players like Liedson and Romagnoli and which has a lot of good young players. That’s good for me as a young player myself.”

The Argentine will compete with Ronny and Mariah Had for a place in Paulo Bento’s starting line-up.