The collapsed move to West Ham United is clearly seen in Portugal as a big disappointment for William Carvalho.
The Sporting midfielder had been said to be seeking a move out of the club for months, and by coming so close to getting it, the Lions are now worried about how he’ll react.
Portuguese newspaper A Bola had a story this weekend explaining Sporting now have a plan to keep him motivated, after they stopped him from joining a better league and earning a bigger salary at West Ham.
The first reward the midfielder will get is the captain’s armbrand. Since the club’s skipper Adrien Silva is on his way to Leicester City, and William was already the club’s vice-captain, he’s now set to be the number one.
And Jorge Jesus is also expected to have an important chat with the player, when he will tell William how important he is for the club, and his role is only expected to grow after Adrien’s departure.
With this, Sporting expect the player to be cheered up and motivated, especially for the World Cup next year.
With ‘a lot to give’, the newspaper says ‘other opportunities will arise’, ‘more interesting than West Ham or Monaco’.
William Carvalho, now 25 years of age, continues with the transfer carrot being dangled in front of him, as it has been for more than 3 years.
There may be better moves than West Ham, but William has heard it all before.