Sporting CP looks to have won the race between a dozen European clubs interested in Nestory Irankunda, with the Portuguese giants finalising a deal with Watford this week.
Should this deal with Sporting go through, Irankunda would instantly become the most expensive transfer in Australian football history. Harry Souttar has held the crown since 2023, when he swapped from Stoke City to Leicester City in a $27.98million AUD bargain.
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Other clubs in the hunt have been newly-promoted Premier League side Hull City, as well as English powerhouse Everton, Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen, Serie A’s Fiorentina, and relegated West Ham.
Sporting’s offer, which totals €20million ($32.5million AUD), seems to be the superior bid for the 20-year-old Aussie superstar.
The Sporting Base has not heard of any other formal bids.
Irankunda has also been vocal about wanting to develop further at a new club.
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Sporting may have sold Irankunda on the move because they focus so heavily on player development, and has long been a selling club. Sporting players regularly make high-profile moves after a season or two in Portugal. The 20-year-old will be hoping he can do the same.
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The Australian star has been playing at Watford for the past year, and made 40 EFL Championship appearances through 2025/26. He scored four goals and five assists in those matches as Watford finished 16th.
He is also now the youngest Socceroo to score at a World Cup.
