The Sporting Lisbon Saga

What is going on at Sporting!

They have lost their key players in the past few weeks that are now available on free transfers. The fans attacked the training ground and their president slated them on social media. Let us review all the players that have terminated their contracts due to the training ground attack that happened a few weeks back, and seeing how good they are and if they would fit into a top side.

🇵🇹 @Sporting_CP players who have terminated their contract with the club:✅ Bas Dos✅ William Carvalho✅ Rui Patricio✅ Gelson Martins✅ Bruno Fernandes😳 Over £100m worth of talent walking out for free. pic.twitter.com/mCnet4M1pK

— SPORF (@Sporf) June 12, 2018

William Carvalho

First up is William Carvalho. The Portuguese tank is a centre defensive midfielder who has played for Sporting all his life, apart from a couple of loan spells at Fatima and Cervle Brugge. He has made over 140 appearances for Sporting, and is arguably the best Portugese centre midfielder at the moment. He wouldn't look out of place at a side like Manchester United.

Gelson Martins

Following that quality player, we have Gelson Martins. Again like Carvalho, he has been at Sporting all of his career. He nearly made 100 appearances for Sporting, scoring 18 times. He has been capped by Portugal nearly 20 times although scoring no times. He is a classy winger, and at the age of just 23 this winger has a very bright future ahead of him. I'd say he'd suit a team like Atletico Madrid perfectly.

Rui Patricio

I honestly feel like I'm saying this for every player, but this is another player who has played for Sporting all their life. He's made 327 appearances for the 'Lions' and was their number one goalkeeper. Rui Patricio has also played 70 times for Portugal and was a true legend at the club, being a fantastic goalkeeper and servant. He could fit easily into any top six side in the Premier League.

Bas Dost

We can go onto their former striker now, who actually hasn't played for Sporting all their life. Bas Dost has scored 61 goals in as many games for Sporting CP, and before he joined them, he played for Wolfsberg in Germany, where he became a hit in the 2014/15 season, scoring 20 goals for the Bundesliga side. He started off his career at FC Emmen, before moving to Heracles Almelo in 2008. He earned a transfer to Eredivisie side SC Heerenveen in the summer of 2010 for a fee of around £3 million on a five year deal.

A young Bas Dost at SC Heerenveen

Bruno Fernandes

My final player that I am reviewing that has terminated their contract at Sporting is Bruno Fernades. He has only spent one year at the club, and he started his career at Novara in Italy. After a year at the club he moved on to Udinese and spent the next three years of his of his life there, making 86 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals. He moved to Sampdoria on loan with the option to buy in the summer of 2016. He moved on permanently to Sporting for £8 million plus a release clause of £87 million, before obviously terminating his contract at Sporting.

Bruno de Carvalho

We need to meet the president who is a key factor in all these players leaving. He isn't exactly liked by everyone at Sporting. Meet Bruno de Carvalho.

Bruno de Carvalho has been Sporting CP for 5 years now, and the president suspended 19 of their players, which caused a stir off the pitch.

It almost seems it is like a very formal strike, as player after player are leaving the Portuguese giants and protesting about the club. Surely change is almost certain at the club in terms of president, as it has been rumoured Bruno de Carvalho is prepared to step down as president of the club.

Bruno De Carvalho - Sporting CP president

Needless to say, all these players will go to somewhere, and maybe your club will want them, as they won't have to pay a penny!