Prodigious CommBank Socceroos forward Nestory Irankunda has sealed a huge transfer to Portuguese powerhouse Sporting CP from Watford for an undisclosed fee.
Fresh off a strong FIFA World Cup™ 2026 campaign, the 20-year-old joins the 21-time Primeira Liga champions on a five-year deal following one season in the English Championship where he notched four goals and four assists.
The fee is purportedly worth €16 million ($26 million AUD), potentially rising with add-ons to €18 million ($29.5 million AUD), becoming the most expensive transfer in Australian football history. Sporting announced they have also inserted an €80 million ($130 million AUD) release clause.
It is rumoured the price eclipses the previous transfer record set by Australian defender Harry Souttar when he moved to then Premier League outfit Leicester City in 2023 for £15 million (A$26.3 million) from Stoke City.
Irankunda had garnered significant interest for his signature throughout the summer and it is the Lisbon giants who have won the race for his services, where he will be competing in the UEFA Champions League.
He joins fellow Socceroos Lucas Herrington (Hull City), Paul Okon-Engstler (1. FC Koln), Awer Mabil (Melbourne City), Cam Devlin (Rangers), Patrick Beach (Troyes) and Jackson Irvine (Cerezo Osaka) to have completed moves following their FIFA World Cup™ exploits.
Sporting, led by manager Rui Borges, finished second last season behind FC Porto while reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League, losing 1-0 on aggregate to eventual finalists Arsenal.
Irankunda, who has six goals in 19 caps for Australia, explained his decision to Sporting Media upon signing until 2031: "I accepted the offer thanks to conversations I had with people within the club's structure. The project seemed very good to me and, obviously, Sporting CP is a top club with a great history. I wanted to accept this challenge and I'm ready."
One of Australia's most brightest talents, Irankunda featured in all four of the Socceroos' matches at the FIFA World Cup™ 2026, scoring on his debut in the opening 2-0 win against Türkiye in Vancouver.
In doing so, he became the youngest Socceroo and 10th Australian men's player to find the back of the net at the major tournament.
The former Adelaide United, Bayern Munich and Grasshopper Club Zürich winger has 19 caps for his country, netting six goals following his debut in June 2024.
Irankunda will now call the Estádio José Alvalade home, arriving at one of the three biggest clubs in Portugal alongside SL Benfica and FC Porto with the Lisbon outfit having won three of the past six league titles.
The generational talent is just the second Socceroo to ply their trade with Sporting and first since Vlado Bozinovski in 1990-91.
Socceroos who have recently competed in the Portuguese top flight include Awer Mabil (Paços de Ferreira 2017-18), Jason Davidson (Paços de Ferreira 2009-10), Eugene Galekovic (Beira-Mar 2004-05), Michael Curcija (SC Braga 2001-02), and Ernie Tapei (Estoril 1993-94).