Deadline Day: Star Sporting youngster departs for La Liga

Sporting’s young right back Thierry Correia has today left the club to join La Liga outfit Valencia.

Correia, 20, joins the Spanish side, who also already have Goncalo Guedes on their books, for a fee of 15 million euros.

The right back, who has already 7 senior appearances for Sporting to his name, is highly regarded in Portugal, expected to become one of Portugal’s future international right backs in years to come.

He is the latest Sporting youngster to depart the club sooner than most fans will have hoped, showing a real change in the approach of the new Sporting board, focussing more on overseas talents than those from their own academy.

The fact that he was sold could also come down to the state of Sporting’s finances, and the 15 million euro fee will go a long way in relieving some of their economic concerns.

One major factor in his departure, however, is his agent: Mr Jorge Mendes. Since Sporting have begun working alongside the Portuguese superagent again, they have seen an increase in youth player departures, having earlier this window seen star winger Felix Correia join English Premier League champions Manchester City.

Thierry Correia has represented Portugal 7 times at U20 level, and was called up to the Portugal U21 squad to face Gibraltar and Belarus four days ago.

Correia has been handed a release clause of 100 million euros in his Valencia contract.