Sporting midfielder João Mário has attracted interest from a number of clubs across Europe on the back of a fantastic 2015/16 season and the high-profile role he played for Portugal who returned home from Euro 2016 triumphant in victory – Mário played in all seven of the Seleção’s games in France.
Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho has insisted that his star player is going nowhere this summer, but the 23-year-old’s absence from the team’s recent friendly defeat against Lyon may suggest otherwise. He was the only Sporting player who represented their country this summer not to feature, a significant development despite Jorge Jesus’ claim that Mário was still on holiday and would return to training a few days later, which indeed came to pass.
It has sparked fresh speculation over Mário’s future, with big-money offers predicted to come in to take the midfielder away from the Estádio Jose Alvalde.
Losing a player of Mário’s quality would be a big blow to Sporting ahead of the 2016/2017 Primeira Liga season, with the midfielder enjoying a superb year with club and country; Mario was one of the chief driving forces as Sporting mounted a strong title challenge last term, with his exceptional technique, fantastic work rate and wonderful understanding of the game coming to the fore for the Lions under Jorge Jesus. Coral rate Sporting as a 200/1 shot to win the Champions League in the latest football betting odds, but those odds could change if they are able to prevent Mário from being attracted by the prospect of playing in a major European league.
It would be the worst possible time for Sporting to lose Mário, with the new Primeira Liga season less than two weeks away. Carvalho has stated that the club’s project for the future does not include selling their best players, with their prestigious academy producing the likes of Nani, Eric Dier and Cristiano Ronaldo who all left for the promised land of the super-rich EPL.
Another player that belongs in the same category is William Carvalho, with the powerful midfielder also enjoying a strong campaign with the Seleção this summer, not to mentioned club captain Adrien Silva. The former has been strongly linked with a move away from the club, with Arsenal and Chelsea continuously credited with an interest in bringing the 24-year-old to the English Premier League, while Adrien has emerged as a target for Everton.
Moves to the EPL for João Mário, William Carvalho and Adrien would certainly get Portuguese fans interested in the English match coverage provided on Coral’s website if they moved on. But for Sporting losing just one of their key players would be a big blow to their title hopes, losing two would be disastrous, and losing all three would be unimaginable.
Mario’s meteoric rise to prominence is proof, if needed, that Portugal’s new generation of talent have what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Returning home from France with a winner’s medal around his neck was thoroughly merited. His industrious work and willingness to chip in with defensive duties when required, as seen especially in the Euro 2016 final against France in Paris, made him an integral part of Fernando Santos’ plans.
Sporting will find it difficult to hang onto Mário if they receive a big offer that is simply too good to turn down, but their reluctance to sell illustrates just how valuable the midfielder is to their project. Although Portuguese clubs and Sporting in particular have built up a fine reputation for bringing through talented young players from their academy, Jorge Jesus would have a big job on his hands to replace a player of such quality and importance to the Lions.
