Yes, smart move. Also good for us as can still sign him in a year or two. Will clearly be more expensive but also more developed and proven in a better club.
Really a shame we couldn't afford to buy him now and loan him to Sporting for a season or two though.
Doesn't make business sense for Sporting though. This is all about getting quality into the 11 (well article says he will be competiting for RB spot) and then selling for 3x (45m seems reasonable in todays market if he progresses).
Maybe without the money wasted on Julian Araujo though, we could have loaned to Las Palmas.
Clearly for 10m+5m we should have been in on it, and tried to do the deal for after Sept 1st like we tried with Guler. But reading between the lines, this isn't a decision of Xavi or Deco, but because we don't have two euros to rub together FFP wise before September. With Lenglet still here, no significant sales and the palanca's being fake ass worthless paper and nobody actually paying them.
I don't think this train passes again for us. He will be off to the Premiership, while if we don't take up the Cancelo option, guys like Vanderson who we have been linked with before will end up cheaper. Or Wesley Franca who is now a bonafide starter in Brasileiro, looks fast and offensively talented but small as f*ck.