"This is the biggest step of my career," says the striker

Sporting Clube de Portugal have bolstered their attack with the signing of 28-year-old forward Paulinho, who joins from SC Braga on a deal through to 2025, with a buyout clause of 60 million euros.

Paulinho was presented this Tuesday alongside club president Frederico Varandas, and expressed his delight with the move.

"My feeling is one of pure happiness. I'm very happy to be here. I thank everyone for the effort they made to bring me here; it was not an easy process, but I finally managed to get where I wanted to be", said the Portuguese international.

"It has been a dream of mine for a long time, but it is football. It has happened when it happened, and from now on we will all fight for the same thing. Sporting CP is what matters."

Asked how much the move means for his career, Paulinho stated that he is now a "part of a big club in Portugal - an incredible club". "It is, by far, the biggest step of my career", he added. "I don't believe that I will have any major problems in adapting. All indications are that the group is fantastic; incredible players and human beings. The fact that I know how the coach works will help me a lot. The league isn't a surprise to me anymore. I know the teams perfectly and everything is prepared to make my integration an easy one", he reasoned.

"It will be good to work with Rubén Amorim again", says the striker, who played under him previously at SC Braga. "It was my desire to work with him, but I also know how demanding he is. That's what brought me here. I know he expects nothing less than 100% from me, and from everyone. That's what I'm going to give in every game", he promised.

Paulinho came up through the ranks at Santa Maria FC, a club where he also took his first steps at senior level, before spells at CD Trofense and Gil Vicente FC. He signed for SC Braga in 2017, and since then has established himself as one of the top goalscorers in Portuguese football. In 2019/2020 he found the net 25 times, 17 in Liga NOS, whilst this season he has already scored ten goals in all competitions.