Bournemouth’s loan of Luis Sinisterra is still struggling to fully take off in Brazil. The winger has yet to make his first appearance of the year at Cruzeiro.
According to local outlet Globo Esporte, he has completed a full month of controlled physical work and is now edging closer to returning to matchday squads.
Sinisterra ended last season with another muscular issue. He suffered an oedema in his left thigh during the Copa do Brasil semi-final against Corinthians on December 14th.
Even before that setback, Cruzeiro had already planned a tailored programme for the start of 2026, aiming to reduce the physical problems that have followed him in recent years.
Controlled recovery and careful build-up
Cruzeiro view this phase as necessary groundwork. Sinisterra arrived in Belo Horizonte with the 2025 campaign already underway, which limited preventive work. Since then, he has spent long spells away from full training.
During that period, he focused on muscle strengthening, balance exercises and overall conditioning. Only in the final week of January did he start to increase his involvement with the rest of the squad.
That cautious approach mirrors his recent time in England. After standing out at Feyenoord, Sinisterra failed to build long runs at Leeds United and later at Bournemouth. Across two seasons, he suffered six injuries, four of them muscular, which repeatedly broke his rhythm.
Financial commitment and long-term bet
Cruzeiro still committed to the deal. After lengthy talks with Bournemouth, they paid around £2.1m (€2.5m) for the loan until June. The agreement also includes an obligation to buy part of his rights for a further £3.0m (€3.5m) if certain targets are met.
That structure helps explain why Cruzeiro did not move for another natural winger in this window. So far, Sinisterra has two goals and one assist in 14 appearances, starting only three matches.
From Bournemouth’s perspective, the picture remains familiar. Cruzeiro are betting on recovery and long-term payoff rather than immediate impact. Whether that patience is rewarded should become clearer once the winger finally returns to competitive action.