Tonel earns Sporting chance

Sporting Clube de Portugal have signed the 25-year-old central defender Tonel to replace Joseph Enakarhire.

Time to shine
The former Portuguese Under-21 international will have a three-year contract, with the option for a further 12 months, after an impressive 2004/05 season with CS Marítimo. Prior to that the former FC Porto youth player had spent three-and-a-half years with A. Académica Coimbra

Step forward
"I've been taken slow but sure steps," Tonel said. "I hope this is another one of those steps forward. Sporting have a very strong team but I want to prove myself here." Sporting, who will compete in next month's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, had a vacancy for a new centre-back after Enakarhire moved to FC Dinamo Moskva last week.