Sporting president Frederico Varandas gave a 50 minute interview to the club’s official channel on Wednesday.
The chat has strategically been held after the end of the transfer window, with the official explaining the great moves the Lions were able to do this summer.
Besides making good signings, Sporting managed to keep their biggest star, Bruno Fernandes, despite interest from several European sides.
Varandas claimed he received several approaches during the window, and just like reported by the Portuguese press, the only real bid came from Tottenham Hotspur.
“The only serious proposal, which was still only verbal, was a €45m bid from Tottenham for Bruno Fernandes, plus €20m in goals,” Frederico Varandas told Sporting TV.
“Twenty million in goals which were about Tottenham becoming the Premier League winners, which they never were, and winning the Champions League, which has also never happened. So I found these goals extremely imposs…. difficult to accomplish. And I understood not to sell Bruno Fernandes.”
Varandas has praised Fernandes for his professionalism, saying he understood the reasons Sporting couldn’t accept the offer.
“The day I rejected Tottenham’s proposal, the first thing I did the next day was come to the training centre, call Bruno Fernandes, explain the proposal I had, why I refused, and explain why he would stay here until the end of the market if no new proposal arrived. He understood perfectly.
“Bruno Fernandes understood that the amount they gave Sporting was not fair amount.”
Something first reported by the Portuguese press and now confirmed by Varandas is that he was in Monaco last week to try to sell Fernandes.
Now he claims that the player doesn’t have any kind of pre-agreement with any club, but is still chased by many. He mentions the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and PSG as examples of big clubs who could be after him, but still doesn’t make it clear if there’s a chase from these sides.
After signing Giovani Lo Celso, Tottenham have likely moved on.
