Chishkala, a 30-year-old Russian winger, is set to join Portuguese club Sporting in January, a move that places him with the fierce rival of his former team, Benfica, following a public dispute with his previous coach.
The experienced player will reinforce Sporting’s squad under coach Nuno Dias. The decision follows his departure from Benfica last season, where he had just won the championship.
Sources within Sporting indicate that Chishkala expressed strong interest in moving to the Lisbon-based club. His relationship with Benfica, where he played for five seasons, concluded acrimoniously.
He announced his exit on social media and subsequently leveled criticisms against his former coach, Cassiano Klein. Chishkala publicly detailed the breakdown, stating Klein’s desire for absolute control.
“He told me that I should play a certain way and do what he ordered. He wanted total control, he tried to control me all the time,” Chishkala told the sports.ru portal. “And I replied ‘I know what I need to do, I don’t need you to keep telling me’.”
Chishkala spent half a season with Torpedo in Russia before making this transfer. He will now join Sporting, a direct rival of his previous Portuguese club.
His registration with Sporting is contingent on the departure of another non-locally formed player from the squad. However, the club has clarified that this signing is unrelated to the ongoing contract situations of Taynan and Merlim.
Taynan is currently recovering from a knee injury and has a one-year option in his contract, which Sporting can activate until May. The situation for Italian international Merlim, whose contract is expiring, will be evaluated in the coming months.
Sporting also confirmed that they are not interested in Matheus Rodrigues, the Brazilian winger from Barcelona, despite previous associations with the club.