Sporting linked to swoops for trio of old boys

Marco Caneira, Hugo Viana & Fabio Rochemback to return?

Although heavily focussed on getting the point Sporting need against Boavista on Sunday to ensure qualification for next season’s Champions League, Paulo Bento and the club’s directors are busy planning for next season.

The Lisbon outfit are not expected to make wholesale changes to their squad, but the names of three former players who all enjoyed success at Alvalade have surfaced as possible reinforcements for the next campaign: Marco Caneira, Hugo Viana and Fabio Rochemback.

Midfielder Hugo Viana was a big hit for the Lions, first as a 19-year-old playing a major role in Sporting’s 2001/02 title triumph, an achievement that earned him the European Young Footballer of the Year title and a lucrative move to Newcastle United in England.

Since then his career has gone off the rails somewhat, with injuries and poor form seeing him only a peripheral figure at Newcastle, Valencia and Osasuna. Indeed, his only good year since his early days was in 2004/05, when back on loan to the Lions, the stylish midfielder helped Jose Peseiro’s team to the final of the Uefa Cup.

Currently on loan to Osasuna, it is fellow La Liga side Valencia who own the player, with a contract until 2011. Sporting first enquired about a possible return of Viana in January and it is believed the club are again keen on bringing the Portugal international back to Portugal.

Caneira or Grimi

Sporting are also negotiating with Valencia regarding a possible return of utility player Marco Caneira. The combative defender enjoyed a magnificent 2006/07 season for the Lions and the Sporting rearguard never fully recovered from losing Caneira, who can play in any of the four defensive positions.

Whether or not Caneira’s return becomes reality could well depend on Sporting’s attempts to turn the loan spell of left-back Leandro Grimi into a permanent move. The Argentine has impressed everyone since his January switch to Lisbon, but Sporting are unwilling to pay the 3.5m euros AC Milan are asking for the defender.

Should negotiations with the Italians hit a brick wall, Caneira is seen as a viable alternative.

Finally, Brazilian midfielder Fabio Rochemback is now a free agent after terminating his contract with Premiership club Middlesbrough. Again, a lack of funds could make a move difficult given the likely wage demands, although the player himself is keen to return to the club where he played some sparkling football, forcing his way into the Brazilian national team at the time.

“Rochemback will have a meeting next week to negotiate with Sporting”, said Vifran Pompeo, one of the representatives of the midfielder.