Bournemouth winger Luis Sinisterra hasn’t yet made his debut for Cruzeiro, but the Colombian is already a major talking point in Belo Horizonte.
His arrival has generated big expectations, and those who have followed his career closely believe the Brazilian side have landed a player capable of making a serious impact.
Argentine coach Javier Torrente, who gave Sinisterra his professional debut at Once Caldas back in 2016, sees plenty of potential. Torrente, an Olympic champion with Argentina as Marcelo Bielsa’s assistant, recalled his impression of the youngster in an interview for local outlet [**Globo Esporte**](https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/cruzeiro/noticia/2025/09/01/sinisterra-no-cruzeiro-campeao-olimpico-na-argentina-exalta-drible-endiabrado-e-aposta-em-sucesso.ghtml).
_“Sinisterra is a player who can give many fruits to the club he is at,”_ he said. _“Back then, his main strength was his dribbling and the goals he scored. He was fast, with a tricky dribble. With care in the comparison, a Garrincha-type dribble. A boy with a lot of improvisation, who created real difficulties for defenders.”_
After leaving Colombia for Feyenoord, Sinisterra quickly caught the eye. Dutch journalist Mikos Gouka explained that Jaap Stam blocked a loan that would have sent him to the second tier, insisting he was too talented.
_“He started to play more and improve. Then Arne Slot came, and he liked him a lot. He taught him the defensive side of the game, so he wasn’t just delivering in attack but also helping the team overall.”_ Gouka described him as _“very strong, very fast, a typical winger. There aren’t many like him in world football”_ and admitted surprise at his underwhelming stint in England.
That move to England began with Leeds, who signed him from Feyenoord for a club-record fee to replace Raphinha. Jack Lang, from The Athletic, said expectations were high. _“When Sinisterra arrived at Leeds, I was excited because he had a great season at Feyenoord. He scored a lot of goals, beautiful goals, even in European competition. He had a lot of technical quality.”_
He managed seven goals in 32 games, but after relegation, moved on to Bournemouth for another big fee.
At Bournemouth, injuries and competition limited his impact. Sinisterra managed only 37 appearances over two seasons, picking up three muscle injuries along the way. _“Bournemouth had a lot of players in his position. Semenyo, Justin Kluivert, David Brooks,”_ Lang explained. _“Sinisterra didn’t show his football. His best moments were three years ago, and now he will have to rediscover that level to prove why English clubs wanted him.”_
That’s exactly what Cruzeiro are betting on. His debut may still be pending, but the club believe his one-on-one skillset and explosiveness can give them a new dimension, and help the winger reignite his career in time for a place at the 2026 World Cup with Colombia.
At the same time, the loan in Brazil also gives Bournemouth a potential upside: if Sinisterra rediscovers his form and fitness, they could justify the £20m investment and bring him back next season for a more prominent role in the Premier League.