Australian forward Garang Kuol joined sessions with Sporting CP in Lisbon as reports tied him to a record-setting transfer fee for an Australian player. The reported price tag would mark a new standard for an Australian export. Sporting analysts viewed Lisbon as Kuol's first-choice landing spot despite Premier League clubs hovering. Failing to lock into rigid structures, the forward spent days training alongside the Portuguese outfit as media chatter grew louder. Club staff carried a confident tone about getting the paperwork over the line.