Jota Silva may not walk into the starting XI at Sporting, but his arrival would still be significant. That’s the view of André Pipa, who spoke on CNN Portugal about the Nottingham Forest winger’s likely move to Lisbon.
“The club has no real competition for the signing, and he’ll end up playing there because all parties are aligned,” Pipa said. “Jota Silva is a good player. I don’t know if he’ll come in as a starter, and I don’t think so. But either way, what stands out is the depth Sporting are building. It’s something we haven’t seen in a long time.”
As we previously covered, manager Rui Borges has already spoken directly to Jota Silva to outline the role he’d play in the squad, and the winger is reportedly eager to make the move.
However, the commentator noted that the Lions, chasing a third straight league title, need more than just a strong starting team. “A team fighting for the championship can’t rely only on eleven players. They need at least 16 or 17. Jota Silva fits into that plan.”
The player, who made 38 appearances for Forest last season, is also said to be motivated by a spot in Portugal’s World Cup squad. “Even if he joins as a second-choice option, it still matters,” Pipa added. “He wants to be at the World Cup. And depth like this matters.”
Behind the scenes, Sporting and Nottingham Forest have been in contact for weeks, with the Portuguese side taking their time to seal a loan deal. Evangelos Marinakis himself has instructed the club to only approve a loan exit, as we reported earlier in the window.
With the transfer window now entering its final stretch, the deal is just a matter of time.