THE Sporting is signing a start to the 2026/27 sporting season ‘to forget’, particularly in the I League, where the distance to the leader, FC Porto, seems to not want to stop increasing. However, its main figures remain highly rated on the transfer market, as Maxi Araújo proves.
This week, the Uruguayan international made waves in Italy, where the newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport named him as one of Juventus’ favorite targets to reinforce the left side of the defense of the team coached by Luciano Spalletti, with a view to the next winter transfer market.
The South American appears well positioned, on a list that also includes the names of Nicolás Tagliafico (who plays under Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca, at Olympique Lyon) and Rayan Ait-Nouri (teammate of fellow Portuguese players Rúben Dias and Matheus Nunes, at Manchester City).
Vecchia Signora is also not going through a particularly happy moment, but considers the reinforcement of this specific area of the field so urgent that it will be willing to sell Juan Cabal to finance the acquisition of a player who is capable of grabbing it as quickly as possible.
Could it be that, at 26 years of age, is it time for Maxi Araújo to take the ‘leap’ to other competitive levels? Or will Sporting be able to hold on to what is one of its most valuable assets, at least until the end of this season? THE Sport at the Minute analyzes the pros and cons of this rumor.
Why might this happen?
The left-back position is one of the most difficult to fill in current football, and the truth is that, at the start of what is now his third season in European football, Maxi Araújo has already proven his competence, sometimes attacking, sometimes defending, so it is not surprising that he is referenced across borders.
Interestingly, one of the best performances that the Uruguayan international signed with Sporting’s shirt was, precisely, against… Juventus, on November 4, 2025, when he scored the goal that earned a 1-1 draw, while traveling to Turin, in a game counting for the Champions League.
Italy is no longer what it was, but it continues to represent an increase from a sporting and financial point of view in relation to the reality we live in Portugal, so it cannot be ruled out that Vecchia Signora has plenty of assets ‘up her sleeve’ to convince him to ‘change things’, in the not too distant future.
Why might it not happen?
Maxi Araújo renewed his contract with Sporting approximately three months ago, until June 2030, keeping the termination clause at the level of 80 million euros, but seeing an increase, not only in salary, but also in responsibilities, as he was ‘promoted’ to the group of squad captains.
It will therefore not be surprising that the management led by Frederico Varandas will do everything to retain a fundamental player, inside (he is the fifth most used by Rui Borges this season, behind only Sergi Altimira, Issa Doumbia, Gonçalo Inácio and Geny Catamo) and also outside the four lines.
Furthermore, we must not forget that the winter transfer market is rarely full of large movements, so it is, at the very least, unlikely that the Bianconera emblem will carry out a ‘madness’ of such size that it is capable of making the green and white structure think twice.
Every week, the Sport at the Minute presents you with a new edition of the section ‘The rumor of the week’, which aims to analyze, in detail, the circumstances surrounding the most popular deals in the transfer market.
