Monza have completed the signing of Portuguese defender Ricardo Mangas from Sporting CP, the newly promoted Serie A side announced on Thursday.
The 28-year-old landed in Italy on 23 July to undergo medical examinations before finalising his contract. He joins on an initial loan arrangement that will convert to a permanent transfer should specific conditions be triggered during the upcoming campaign. Reports indicate the purchase option is set at €1.5 million, with performance-related bonuses potentially adding a further €400,000 to the total outlay.
Mangas operates primarily as a left-back but offers tactical versatility across various systems, capable of occupying more advanced wide positions when required. His arrival strengthens Monza’s defensive resources as they prepare for their return to Italy’s top flight following promotion through the play-offs.
The club were forced to delay their recruitment programme until securing their Serie A status alongside Venezia and Frosinone. With their place confirmed after the promotion play-offs, they are now accelerating their squad rebuild to meet the demands of the higher division.
Asante pursuit heats up
While Mangas’s transfer is complete pending the activation of his buy clauses, Monza are simultaneously pursuing Dutch defender Tyrese Asante from Maccabi Tel Aviv. However, this deal remains at the negotiation stage.
Monza face stiff competition for the 23-year-old centre-back. Turkish club Kasimpasa and fellow Serie A outfit Lecce have also registered concrete interest in the Israeli-based defender, creating a three-way battle for his signature.
The Lombardy side must act decisively if they are to win the race for Asante’s services. With the transfer window progressing, securing the defender would represent another significant step in Monza’s efforts to construct a competitive squad capable of surviving at Serie A level, having successfully navigated the promotion play-offs to end their absence from the top tier.