Sporting are in trouble as they lie just above the relegation zone in Portugal at present, and so they have turned to the former Panathinaikos and Porto coach to replace Franky Vercauteren.

"Vercauteren is no longer the coach of the main team. Jesualdo Ferreira will accumulate the roles of manager and head coach of Sporting's first team," the club told the Portuguese stock market regulator's website (www.cmvm.pt).