Tick-tock. Rui Borges with chronometer to prove and there is successor in view

Rui Borges continues in uncertainty about its long-term future in Sporting. Although President Frederico Varandas has come to the public to ensure that the leonino technician is not at risk, at the FPF gala on Tuesday, there is another plan that can distance the transmontano from the club of Alvalade.

As it was advanced by the Morning Mail, there is a name on the table and with a deadline set for the direction of Sporting to proceed with a bid attempt.

Why, according to what Sports to Minute he managed to ascertain, Rui Borges has a counterclockwise to prove that this initial phase is the result of the team revolution made in this past summer transfer market, under penalty of being able to leave at the end of the calendar year 2026.

However, there is already a favourite target of Frederico Varandas, which dates back to last seasons. We talk, of course, about Abel Ferreira, who has a contract with Palmeiras until the end of 2027, and it may be the perfect time to move forward with a Portuguese attack.

Nevertheless, this will not be an easy task, since the Sports to Minute knows that Abel Ferreira will have a word with Palmeiras who will stay at the club of Brasileirão until the end of the current contract, so it will be difficult to convince the Portuguese technician to return to Portugal by the door of Alvalade – at least in this timing.

It should also be noted that Frederico Varandas had already tried to hire Abel Ferreira on two occasions, when the helmsman of the green was at the technical command of the Greeks of PAOK.

Remembering that Rui Borges led the Lioness team to add 15 points on seven League journeys, with ties suffered against the Amadora Star, Famalicão and Arouca, always after winning by at least one goal of advantage.

The calendar that will decide the life of Rui Borges in Sporting

With this medium-term plan by Frederico Varandas to assess Rui Borges' performance by the end of this calendar year, months of high tension are expected ahead at the Alvalade Stadium.

This is because, by the end of December 2026, Sporting has 16 high-intensity matches, with the last meeting of this period culminating with a derby in front of Benfica, in the Stadium of Light, on December 27.

But before that, the tests come up before Sporting Braga, the Pedreira, as well as the two European duels, for the single league phase of the Champions League, in front of Lens and LASK Linz. The action returns to the I League with the reception to the Academic of Viseu, before playing the first round of the League Cup, before the Maritime, followed by the Pia House in Rio Maior, to close the month of October.

November will be a rigorous test for the technical team led by Rui Borges, as he goes to London to face Shakhtar Donetsk, receives the Moreirense in Alvalade, before seeing Bruno Fernandes return home in a duel with Manchester United and closing the round with the Classic in the Stadium of the Dragon, in front of FC Porto, with December bringing Maritime and Estoril Beach, at home, and the displacements to the reducts of AS Rome, Gil Vicente and, as already mentioned, Benfica.