Sporting: Fresneda Welcomed by De la Fuente After Call-Up Changes His Course

Iván Fresneda's career trajectory has consistently mirrored that of Pedro Porro. At Sporting, he stepped into the shoes of his compatriot who moved to England, even residing in Porro's former Alvalade home during his first year. He also inherited the right-back position for Spain's U21 squad. Now, he's been called up by Luis de la Fuente to the senior World Champion squad, replacing the former Lion. He received the news on Sunday while en route to Madrid for the U21 team: his phone rang, and his destination changed.

Luis de la Fuente himself made a point of welcoming Iván Fresneda to the Spanish national team camp. The World Cup-winning coach had previously hinted at the possibility of calling up Sporting's 21-year-old right-back, who had been initially selected for the U21s. Prior to this, A BOLA had already reported that Spain's head coach was closely monitoring the Lion's progress.

The call-up to the senior squad came sooner than expected, as Pedro Porro failed to recover from injury in time, leaving an open spot.

Fresneda was on his way to Madrid on Sunday afternoon when his phone rang with the good news. On the other end, a member of La Roja's staff informed the defender that he should report to the senior squad, not the U21s. Emotion, a pounding heart, and a fitting reception awaited him upon his arrival this Tuesday.

By the summer of 2023, when Sporting expressed interest, Pedro Porro was already at Tottenham, having moved to London in January on a loan that later became a permanent transfer for a total of 45 million euros to Sporting. Before moving from Valladolid to the green and whites, Fresneda spoke with Porro, who raved about the club and even offered him the house where he lived. Fresneda ended up residing there during his first year at Sporting, who paid 8 million euros to sign him.

His initial period was challenging, marked by a left shoulder injury that required surgery and a struggle to adapt to Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 formation, which Rui Borges initially maintained. It was only when the new coach switched to a four-man defense that the Spaniard secured his place, even ahead of Greek international Vagiannidis, who had been signed that season as the starting right-back. Now, Fresneda is the undisputed holder of the position.

Last season, he featured in 39 matches (scoring one goal and providing two assists), and this season he has played in all 8 games for the Lions (with one assist). After impressing in the Champions League and making four appearances for the U21s (scoring one goal), he now has the opportunity for his first senior international cap. Spain is set to play in the UEFA Nations League against England (26/9), Croatia (29/9 and 6/10), and the Czech Republic (3/10).

Born on September 28th in Quijorna, a municipality in the province and autonomous community of Madrid, the Lions' number 22 began his career playing futsal for his hometown club. After CF Quijorna, at a time when he preferred playing further forward and his lateral position wasn't yet defined, he moved to EFMO Boadilla. In 2014, he joined the Real Madrid academy, where he spent four seasons before moving to Leganés. Two years later, he was at Valladolid, still a youth player, experiencing a meteoric rise to the first team.

His debut came under Pacheta, who now coaches Granada. It was on January 5, 2022, against Betis, a 0-3 defeat for Valladolid in the Copa del Rey Round of 32. The following season, he was a regular in LaLiga, and in the summer of 2023, Sporting came calling.

When he arrived at Alvalade, his market value was estimated at €15 million by the specialized website Transfermarkt. It took him some time to establish himself with the Lion on his chest, and his valuation was revised downwards several times to €7 million. However, from 2025 onwards, it has been steadily climbing again to the current €15 million, a trend expected to continue with his consolidation at Sporting, his Champions League appearances, and, of course, his call-up to the World Champion national team.

This summer, Roma showed significant interest. Sporting rejected the Italian club's offer, but they continue to monitor a player who also has many admirers in England. Arsenal has long had the Spaniard on their radar. Sporting, meanwhile, has him on their list for contract renewals. It's one of their priorities, alongside Geny Catamo's.

With a contract until 2028 and an €80 million release clause, his salary is set to increase, and his contract length is also expected to be extended, likely for another three seasons, until June 2031.