Sporting CP have officially confirmed the signing of Colombian striker Luis Javier Suárez from UD Almería, landing the prolific forward in a deal worth up to €25 million.
The agreement includes €5 million in bonuses and a 10% sell-on clause, with Suárez putting pen to paper on a five-year deal that reportedly includes an €80 million release clause.
After a blistering 2024/25 campaign in which he scored 31 goals and contributed eight assists in 43 appearances for Almería, Suárez now takes the next step in his career by joining the reigning Portuguese champions.
The move positions him as the direct replacement for Viktor Gyökeres, who recently completed a big-money move to Arsenal. While Almería initially held out for a fixed €25 million fee, negotiations gathered pace in the past few days.
Sporting’s growing financial leverage, boosted by Gyökeres’ exit, allowed them to structure a deal that satisfies both parties. If the full value of the transfer is realised, it would become the second-most expensive sale in Segunda División history, just behind Darwin Núñez’s record-breaking move to Benfica.
Softfootball undertsands that Suárez’s desire to compete in the UEFA Champions League reportedly played a major role in pushing the deal over the line. The Colombian international has already arrived in Lisbon, where he was spotted meeting teammates and even taking part in a training session under new manager Rui Borges.
Sporting unveiled their new No. 9 with a cinematic presentation on social media, followed by a welcome message from Suárez himself. The club’s X Official account confirmed the deal with a video that quickly made waves among fans.
Watch the Video Below:
This will be Suárez’s first taste of Portuguese football, following previous stints in Spain, England, and France. His career has seen stops at Granada, Real Zaragoza, Watford, and Marseille, but his numbers at Almería made him one of the hottest properties in the second division.
Now, with Champions League football on the horizon and big shoes to fill, Suárez arrives in Lisbon hoping to lead the line for Sporting.
