Iuri Medeiros returns to Sporting and is hunting for a place in Jorge Jesus' squad

After a loan spell with Moreirense last season, Iuri Medeiros proved overjoyed with his return to Alvalade this week and has promised to battle for a place in Jorge Jesus' squad.

"I am happy to be back and now I will work hard", said the 21-year old winger, adding: "I want to be part of the group and I will do my best to get into the team. Some of the players aren't back yet but I have had the opportunity to spend some time with the lads and it is nice to catch up with my friends."

João Pereira eager to get the new champaign underway

The pre-season campaign is normally a tough spell for any player after a long break, but not for João Pereira, with the wingback in great shape and eager to get the action underway.

“I was missing this, missing being with the lads for breakfast, for lunch...it is something you get used to and you miss it during the holidays. Thank fully the new season is starting", said the defender after his medial exam this week, adding: "We want to be champions and we will play in every competition to win."

2016/17 campaign gets underway with the usual trip to the medical room

The pre-season officially got underway this week for Sporting CP, but neither a pitch or a ball were anywhere to be seen.

A group of players back from the summer break were at the Alvalade and Infante Santo CUF Clinics with the club's official health partner, to undergo their standard pre-season checks.

João Pereira, Marvin Zeegelaar, Tobias Figueiredo, André Geraldes, Bruno César and Iuri Medeiros were the first to take the physical tests, followed by Coates, Barcos, Matheus Pereira and the brothers Alan and Federico Ruiz.

Paulo Oliveira, Rúben Semedo, Schelotto, Jefferson, João Palhinha and goalkeeper Azbe Jug joined the group in the afternoon, along with Carlos Mané, Bruno Paulista, Ricardo Esgaio, Naldo and Spalvis.

Alvalade president confident ahead of the coming season

Sporting will be more motivated than ever for the coming season's title race. That was the guarantee given by president Bruno de Cavalho in an interview with the newspaper Expresso this week, setting out his vision of Sporting as the favourites to claim silverware next season.

“We are a very serious contender for the title. We showed this year that people had underestimated us. We were very consistent. In six matches against the big clubs we won five", affirmed the Alvalade president, before settling any nerves about activity in the summer transfer market: "We don't need to sell out key players. We are complying with the financial fair-play rules and we are in positive territory right now, which can support an increase in the cost of the squad."

Asked about his relationship with the agent Jorge Mendes, the Sporting president was preemptive: "I have no interest in seeing a player sold for 300 million euros but only 3 million actually comes to Sporting. I hear people talking about millions and millions and millions, that 500 billion euros have passed through his hands. Well good for him. People think I am arrogant, but I am 100% humble about the whole thing and I hate this stupidity. When people are being stupid, then of course I am arrogant. I will put up with the worst person in the world for 100 years, 24 hours a day, if they are useful for Sporting."

17-year old defender signs until 2022

Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with Thierry Correia for the renewal of the player's contract until June 2022, with a buy-out clause of €45,000,000.00.

Sporting SAD wishes Thierry Correia the best of professional and person success.

Club statement regarding Miroslav Blazevic

In light of recent statements made by Mr. Miroslav Blazevic, Sporting Clube de Portugal notes the following:

1. Sporting Clube de Portugal vemently reputes the statements made by Mr. Miroslav Blazevic. As well as being an insult to Sporting Clube de Portugal and all Sporting fans, the former Croatia national coach also offended Portugal and all Portuguese people. We consider this to be unacceptable.

2. Never, in is almost 110 years of history, has Sporting Clube de Portugal tolerated attitudes which call true sportsmanship into doubt and the club has never tolerated such behaviour from other institutions. Moreover, the current board of directors has been working to guarantee further transparency in what is proof of Sporting Clube de Portugal's dedication to the ideals of true sportsmanship.

3. Sporting Clube de Portugal has already taken the decision to litigate against Mr. Miroslav Blazevic in the appropriate forums, to prove that his statements are unacceptable and unfounded.

4. Sporting Clube de Portugal shows total solidarity with the Portuguese Football Federation in relation to however that institution wishes to proceed.

5. Mr. Miroslav Blazevic is a man fraught with hate, but he is also spiteful. If he was worthy of credit, considering the experience that his 81 years should have given him, the Croatian Football Federation, with whom he worked, would have recognised his know-how for preparing for Saturday's match against Portugal. As he himself assumed, this did not happen.

29-year old defender to play for Sporting B and Jorge Silva goes the other way

Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol SAD has reached an agreement with Leixões Sport Clube for the transfer of Diogo Nunes, on a contract valid to 2021 and with a buy-out clause of €45,000,000.00.

Sporting SAD has also reached an agreement with Leixões Sport Clube for the transfer of Jorge Silva, with Sporting SAD remaining with 40% of any future transfer.

Sporting SAD wishes Diogo Nunes and Jorge Silva the best of professional and personal success.

Diogo Nunes signs in from Leixões for Sporting B

Sporting CP has reached an agreement with the central-defender Diogo Nunes and the 19-year old is eager to get straight into the action.

“I am here to do by best for this club and I promise to work hard and to show attitude", said Nunes in his first interview in a Sporting shirt, adding: "I know that coach Jorge Jesus gives chances to young players and I really like the work he has been doing. I want to have an opportunity one day to get into the first team."

Schelotto back from Argentina and ready to dive straight into training

The holiday season is already over for Ezequiel Schelotto, but the Italian-Argentinean couldn't be happier to return to Alvalade.

"All I was thinking about was coming back to Portugal and I can't wait to get into training with the team", affirmed the defender, continuing: "As of Monday, the coming season will be the only thing that matters. I am really looking forward to carrying on with the club and to putting a smile on the fans faces."

Schelotto has already found a special place in the Sporting faithfuls' hearts and he is looking to carry on in the coming campaign: "The fans are always with us. I received a lot of messages during my holidays asking me to carry on here. I always reply, because the fans are part of this project."

L'Équipe highlights Alvalade's contribution to the nation's Euro 2016 campaign

Not even Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or for that matter any other club in Europe has as many players representing the respective national team as Sporting does.

This dominance is of course reflection of the quality of the Sporting Academy, highlighted in an article published by L'Équipe this week.

In the 0-0 draw against Austria, coach Fernando Santos included no fewer than six players who learnt their trade at Alvalade: Rui Patrício in goal, William Carvalho and João Moutinho holding down the midfield and Ronaldo, Nani and Ricardo Quaresma leading the attack.

Also on the bench was Sporting products Adrien Silva, Cédric, João Mário and José Fonte.

Only Barcelona comes close, having provided a total of five of the players for the Spanish national team's 2-1 loss against Croatia.