Sporting’s €80m clause puts Doumbia beyond easy reach for Roma and Juventus

Sporting CP’s €80 million release clause is the central obstacle for Roma and Juventus as they continue to track Issa Doumbia. A Bola, cited by Calciomercato.com, reports that the Lisbon club is unwilling to move far from that valuation, despite interest from Italy and the Premier League.

The price is a sharp jump from Sporting’s original outlay: the club signed Doumbia from Venezia for €20 million plus bonuses. A Bola also reported that Sporting rejected a purported €50 million offer in recent weeks. That leaves a €30 million difference between the reported bid and the release clause, with Doumbia under contract until June 30, 2031.

Roma had followed the midfielder while he was at Venezia in Serie B, but Sporting moved first. Tuttomercatoweb reports that the Giallorossi have not lost sight of him. Juventus’s interest has emerged in recent weeks, with Doumbia among the young Italian midfielders the club is monitoring; Cagliari’s Alessandro Romano is also on that list, according to Calciomercato.com.

The interest has grown alongside Doumbia’s role in Lisbon. The 2003-born midfielder has been regularly selected by Sporting and scored his first Champions League goal against Lens, A Bola reported. He also made his Italy debut under Roberto Mancini during an extended international break, according to the report.

Roma and Juventus are not the only clubs watching. A Bola also names Newcastle and Brentford as interested parties, adding competition for a player Sporting appear keen to retain at a high price. For any suitor, the choice is stark: meet a clause that is four times Sporting’s initial fee, or try to negotiate a lower figure with a club reported to be holding close to its valuation.

Roma’s league position provides context for its interest, but not evidence of an imminent move. The club is third in Serie A with 14 points from six games and a 4-2-0 record, and is due to host Genoa on October 17. For now, Doumbia remains a target to monitor rather than a completed transfer; Sporting’s stance sets the terms of any next step.