Sporting Lisbon are reluctant to let star man Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves leave Portugal for a penny less than £53 million amid interest from Liverpool and Manchester United, according to Record.
2020/21 is shaping up to be Sporting’s greatest season of the modern era.
Los Leones have already lifted the Taca da Liga trophy, beating Braga 1-0 in January’s decider, and are rapidly hurtling towards a first Primeira Liga title in two decades.
Ruben Amorim’s winning machine are five points clear of reigning champions Porto, with a game in hand to boot.
And it is no coincidence that Sporting’s sudden emergence as the best team in Portugal has coincided with the arrival of Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves; a prolific attacking midfielder who was released by Wolverhampton Wanderers as recently as 2019.
While Wolves’ over-reliance on Raul Jimenez has been brutally exposed in recent months, Pote has found the net for fun back home in Iberia.
In 15 games, the 22-year-old has scored 14 times, earning comparisons with Bruno Fernandes and catching the eye of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Defensa Central have already mentioned Real Madrid as a potential destination for Pote, with Liverpool and Manchester United also among his admirers.
Not that Sporting are going to let their breakthrough star go without a fight. The Lisbon giants are desperate to make an impression in the Champions League next season and want Pote to lead their continental charge.
As a result, Sporting would not consider selling for a penny less than his £53 million release clause.
Then again, if Liverpool, Real Madrid or Manchester United are willing to trigger that aforementioned clause, Sporting will be powerless to prevent his departure.
Fortunately for Los Leones, there is a pandemic going on; one that has restricted the buying power of even Europe’s powerhouse clubs.
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