Mendes at work with Goncalo Inacio’s agent: Sporting are asking for €45 million, Milan are there

Goncalo Inacio remains in AC Milan's thoughts, as he does in those of his mentor Ruben Amorim. Sporting manager Rui Borges astonishingly left him on the bench for the entire league match against Alverca at the Alvalade in Lisbon yesterday.

Reports in Portugal are adamant: according to Now Canal, a well-known Portuguese TV channel, Inacio is close to an imminent transfer. Jorge Mendes and Gonçalo Inácio's agent, the same as Amorim's, are working to find the best solution for the 25-year-old, while Sporting do not want the full €60 million release clause, but are asking for between €40 million and €45 million to let him leave.

Gonçalo Inácio is attracting interest from Barcelona, AC Milan and Saudi side Al Hilal. Over the last few hours, the blaugrana club have also moved for the outstanding Sporting centre-back, with Gerard Romero saying the 25-year-old is a target, along with RB Leipzig’s French centre-back, Castello Lukeba, on a shortlist to strengthen the back line: sporting director Deco has been seen in Lisbon, and is thought to have met the defender’s agents, including a visit to Miguel Pinho, head of the AS1 agency and regarded as one of the most influential Portuguese agents. Reports in Portugal confirm: "It is a major transfer that is about to explode."

These were the words of Sporting manager Rui Borges after last night's win: "Can I guarantee that Gonçalo Inácio will stay at Sporting? I cannot give guarantees, not on Inácio nor on anyone else. Inácio did not play for technical reasons, it was only a game strategy. I do not give guarantees to anyone, because all the players have release clauses."

The decision is therefore tied to a transfer expected within hours, with the Portuguese defender born in 2001 potentially just a step away from leaving the club where he came through the ranks and has played since 2020. Keep a close eye on the situation, especially considering that Inacio has long been on AC Milan's radar and is Ruben Amorim's main target, who knows him well after coaching him for a long time.