A familiar face is returning to Portuguese football. Ricardo Mangas, a defender with a knack for making things happen, is due in Lisbon this Monday. He’s not just visiting, though. By tomorrow, Tuesday, he’ll be at the club’s training ground, known as the Academia.
There, he will complete his medical checks. If all goes well, and everyone expects it will, he will sign a four-year contract with Sporting. This move marks the end of his time in Russia. Mangas joined Spartak Moscow for the 2024/25 season.
The Russian club will receive a set fee of €300,000. But that number could go up. It depends on how well the defender plays at Alvalade, Sporting’s home stadium.
This transfer isn’t just a simple club transaction. It’s a reunion of sorts. Sporting’s coach, Rui Borges, specifically asked for Mangas. They have worked together before. Borges coached Mangas at Mirandela and at V. Guimarães.
Mangas’s return also helps Sporting prepare for a possible departure. Matheus Reis, another defender, is in the last year of his contract. Clubs in the Middle East and Brazil are interested in him.