It’s with great confidence that the Portuguese press is reporting Sporting’s agreement to sign Luciano Vietto from Atletico Madrid this Thursday.
Several newspapers are saying the move is very close to happening, with A Bola claiming the Lions will pay €2m for a loan deal, which will include a €15m buying option at the end of the season.
The signing is seen as a great triumph not only because Vietto was on top of the club’s wishlist, but also because there was some heavy competition for him. According to A Bola, Crystal Palace were one of the clubs in the race, but the London side were unable to convince the Spaniard to sign for them.
The newspaper claims that Sporting made sure Vietto won’t lose money going to Portugal, and that was an important part in the negotiations, but the reason why Crystal Palace was rejected is still not clear.
A Bola says the London side didn’t have the ‘attributes’ to bring the player, but if Sporting are paying him €1m after tax for the rest of the season, something around €41k a week, Crystal Palace certainly could afford that.
The main reason why Vietto is leaving Atletico is because he’s looking for more playing time, so maybe he was afraid he could end up flopping in England. Or fighting for the Portuguese league title is something that attracts him more than fighting against relegation to the Championship with Crystal Palace.
