Aston Villa may suddenly have the chance to sign Pedro Gonçalves for almost half the fee Sporting once rejected.
The Premier League side famously failed with a €40m (£33.8m) offer for the Sporting attacker during the height of his rise in Portugal. Since then, reports have gradually suggested the Lisbon club’s stance was softening. First, there was an asking price around €30m (£25.4m).
Now, according to A Bola, that figure has dropped again. The Portuguese newspaper claims Sporting are now prepared to accept between €20m (£16.9m) and €25m (£21.1m) for the 27-year-old. Both club and player continue working towards a summer departure.
Sporting lower demands after waiting for offers
Pedro Gonçalves returned for pre-season training under Rui Borges at the start of July, but A Bola insist his exit is now regarded as inevitable inside Sporting.
The biggest change is the valuation. While Sporting initially hoped to receive around €30m, the report says the lack of concrete proposals has convinced the club to lower their expectations considerably.
Suitors can now reportedly secure the Portugal international for somewhere between €20m and €25m.
The report also states that super-agent Jorge Mendes has now taken direct control of the transfer process. Sporting continue searching for buyers.
Internal tensions added to exit plans
A Bola add another detail which had not previously emerged. Following Sporting’s Portuguese Cup defeat to Torreense, Pedro Gonçalves publicly admitted he had struggled mentally after returning from injury. He also often played with the fear of getting hurt again.
According to the newspaper, those comments did not go down well inside Sporting’s hierarchy.
Club president Frederico Varandas is said to have addressed the issue internally. While the criticism was not directed exclusively at Pedro Gonçalves, the episode reportedly helped accelerate the feeling that this was the right moment for both sides to move on.
That only reinforces the growing consensus reported across the Portuguese media over recent weeks. There is an increasing belief the six-year partnership has reached its natural conclusion.
Aston Villa watching a very different market
Sporting are no longer trying to keep Pedro Gonçalves at all costs. Instead, they are actively working towards a sale. They have lowered their asking price by as much as €20m and handed the process to Jorge Mendes in an attempt to generate concrete offers.
The financial structure of any deal is also clearer. Sporting invested a total of €13.5m (£11.4m) to sign the player from Famalicão and later increase their share of his economic rights to 90%. This means the former club will receive 10% of any future transfer fee.
Pedro Gonçalves remains under contract until 2030 and still technically carries an €80m (£67.6m) release clause.
In reality, however, A Bola believe Sporting are now willing to do business for little more than half the figure Aston Villa were once prepared to pay.
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