Sporting sign Colombian striker Luis Suárez: “I’ve reached the peak of my career” | OneFootball

(Photo: www.sporting.pt)

Two days after the sale of Viktor Gyökeres was officially confirmed, Sporting have announced the signing of his replacement. Colombian centre-forward Luis Suárez has signed a five-year contract at the Lisbon club.

Sporting agreed a transfer fee with Spanish outfit Almería of €22 million euros plus €5 million euros in add-ons for the 27-year-old. Suárez scored 31 goals in 45 matches in 2024/25, the most prolific season of his career, albeit in the second tier of Spanish football.

Nevertheless, Sporting fans will be hopeful he can follow two recent examples of strikers who came from the second division of their respective national leagues but had immediate and tremendous success in Portugal’s top flight.

Darwin Nuñéz, also bought from Almería, scored 48 goals in two seasons for Benfica, earning him a big-money move to Liverpool. Gyökeres was purchased from Championship club Coventry City, making such a big impact at Sporting that he returned to England in exchange for €75 million when he signed for Arsenal on Saturday.

“No hesitation”

“I’ve reached the peak of my career,” Suárez told Sporting’s in-house TV channel after signing on the dotted line. “I’m really gunning to give a positive response to the directors who have put their trust in me and to the fans who have welcomed me so well. I want to show them I’ve got what it takes to be here.

“The fans, the club and my new teammates have made these first days incredible. My family and I are very happy to be here and I hope this transpires on the pitch.

“When I received Sporting’s offer I didn’t hesitate and it seemed everything was perfectly connected. It’s a huge team, not only in Portugal, but also at European and worldwide level and which has grown even more in the last few years.

“I want to help the team by scoring goals, providing assists, winning games, winning trophies. That’s what missing in my career: winning big trophies. I believe we can win a lot at Sporting.”

Suárez follows in the footsteps of two Colombian strikers who became fans’ favourites at Sporting in recent years, Téo Gutierrez and Fredy Montero, and Suárez says is keen to leave a similarly positive mark at Alvalade. “They are both held in high esteem here and I also want to make history.”