João Pereira to give his all for Sporting

Sporting Clube de Portugal have signed SC Braga full-back João Pereira for €3m, with the 25-year-old promising: "I will give my life for the club, fighting to the death for a win in every game."

Fifth place
The UEFA Europa League round of 32 contenders have agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the former SL Benfica man, who left Lisbon to join Gil Vicente FC – initially on loan – in 2005/06. He joined Braga, the current Liga leaders, at the start of the 2007/08 campaign, and has scored once in 13 games for his club this season. João Pereira said: "This has caught me completely by surprise. I wanted to play for a bigger club than Braga. You can count on my commitment to Sporting; I will give my life for the club, fighting to the death for a win in every game." João Pereira, who played in the UEFA Europa League earlier this season for Braga, is Sporting's second signing of the winter following the arrival of Mozambique central defender Mexer from GD Maputo last week. New coach Carlos Carvalhal faces a challenge to bring Sporting back into the title race in Portugal, where they lie fifth, 12 points off top spot.