Ibrahima Ba has played just 90 minutes in the Primeira Liga this season, and all of that came in a single appearance. Sporting CP paid €21.25 million for him, making him the most expensive centre-back in the club's history, yet he has still been reduced to a bench role.
Rui Borges says there is no fitness issue. Speaking to A Bola, he said Ba has been available to play for two or three weeks, has no injury, and is at one hundred percent. Frederico Varandas was just as direct about the club's expectations, saying Sporting invested €21 million in a player they believed would be the new Ousmane Diomande and expected him to be ready in September.
Sporting's selection puzzle
The numbers make the situation awkward enough for Sporting. Ba has been an unused substitute in the last three matches and has not played 90 minutes since 22 August, when he made that lone full appearance in the 3-1 win over Famalicao in the third round. He has also not made a Champions League appearance, so the European schedule has not provided a route back in.
Sporting's defensive record has not forced the issue either way. They have conceded 13 goals in 11 games this season, while the club remain third in the league and have played 3 Champions League matches, won 2 and lost 1. That makes this less a crisis than a selection call that has gone on longer than expected.
What Sporting seem to be doing
Ba signed until 2031 and carries an €80 million release clause, which points to a club treating him as a long-term asset rather than a quick fix. He is also 21 and had knee surgery at the end of last season, followed by muscle-strengthening work before returning to competition.
That background explains why Sporting may have wanted to handle him carefully, but it does not fully explain why a record signing is still sitting out. For now, the clearest fact is the simplest one: Sporting say Ba is ready, and he still has only one league appearance to his name.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
