Sporting lure Mendes back to Portugal

Sporting Clube de Portugal have signed the former FC Porto midfield player Pedro Mendes for an undisclosed fee from Rangers FC.

British sojourn ends
The move brings the 30-year-old Portuguese international back to his native league after five and a half seasons in British football with Tottenham Hotspur FC, Portsmouth FC and, since the summer of 2008, Rangers in Scotland. Mendes, who will have a two-and-a-half year contract with Sporting, said: "I am delighted the deal has been completed and I am proud to be joining Sporting. Now I just want to win some trophies and give the fans something to shout about."

Trophy wish
Mendes, who lifted the FA Cup with Portsmouth and the Scottish Premier League title with Rangers, was a UEFA Champions League winner with Porto in 2003/04. He has also played for Vitória SC in the Portuguese Liga. The transfer is thought to be worth about €1.7m. His new club will face Everton in the UEFA Europa League round of 32, with the first leg in Liverpool on 16 February and the return in Lisbon nine days later.