Football : Portuguese Super Liga transfers in 2009/2010 season

Sporting Portugal have signed Pedro Mendes from Rangers for a fee thought to be about €1.7m. The 30-year-old Portuguese midfielder back to his native league after five and a half seasons in British football with Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth and, since the summer of 2008, Rangers in Scotland. Mendes has agreed a two-and-a-half year contract with Sporting.

Porto have made their first signing of the January window by acquiring Portuguese midfielder Ruben Micael on a four-and-a-half-year contract from league rivals Nacional. Porto have paid €3m for 60% of the 23-year-old player's rights. Despite scoring just two goals in 16 league matches this term, Micael has an impressive strike rate in Europe with five goals in six UEFA Europa League matches for Nacional.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina have reached an agreement with Porto for Argentine midfielder Mario Bolatti. No details over a transfer fee or contract have been released for the 24-year-old, who played only 15 league games with Porto since joining in 2007 from Argentinian club Belgrano. Bolatti impressed during a successful loan stint at Huracan in his homeland during the 2009 season, when he was voted the league's best player.

Benfica have continued to strengthen for the spring with the signing of midfielder Airton for a reported €3m from Flamengo. The 19-year-old recently aided the Rio de Janeiro side to the Brazilian title and has signed a contract running to 2015 to arrive in January alongside fellow Brazilian Alan Kardec, who arrived from Vasco da Gama last week. Another Brazilian, forward Eder Luis, could be following after Atletico Mineiro confirmed they had agreed a €2m deal to sell the 24-year-old.

Sporting have signed French striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle from Atletico Madrid for €6.5m, adding that Atletico could receive up to a further €1m euros depending on the player's performances. The 25-year-old has agreed a three-and-a-half year contract. Sinama-Pongolle has spent most of his season and a half at the Vicente Calderon coming off the bench, with Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan regulars in the team's lineup. Sporting's top goalscorer Liedson is expected to be out until late January with a knee injury.

Sporting Portugal have signed defender Joao Pereira from Braga for €3m. The 25-year-old has agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract. Pereira has scored once in 13 games for Braga this season. He is Sporting's second signing of the winter following the arrival of Mozambique central defender Mexer from Maputo last week.

Benfica have completed the transfer of Brazilian striker Alan Kardec from Vasco da Gama for a fee of around €2.5m. The 20-year-old impressed at the recent Under-20 World Cup and had attracted the interest of several European sides. The signing of Kardec probably means that Benfica will terminate the loan deal of Keirrison. Keirrison joined Benfica on a one-year loan form Barcelona last summer, but has failed to make an impact so far.

Sporting Portugal have acquired Mozambique central defender Mexer from Maputo for a fee of €166.000, their frist signing ahead of the January transfer window. The 22-year-old, who is better known as Mexer, has agreed a two-and-a-half year contract. Mexer will be competing with Mozambique at the African Cup of Nations in Angola from January 10 to 31.

Benfica have continued to strengthen ahead of next campaign with the addition of defender Cesar Peixoto from Braga. The 29-year-old, who can play at left-back, on the wing or in central midfield, has arrived for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract. Peixoto follows Patrick, Jose Alberto Schaffer, Javier Saviola, Ramires, Javi Garcia, Weldon, Keirrison and Julio Cesar in joining a club now coached by a man who has also left Braga for Benfica, Jorge Jesus.

Benfica have signed Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar from league rivals Belenenses for an undisclosed fee. The 22-year-old has put pen to paper on a five-year contract. Cesar will be reunited with Jorge Jesus, the coach who guided him through the 2007/08 season at Belenenses. He will compete for a first-team place with Quim, Moreira and Moretto.

Benfica have taken Barcelona's recent signing Keirrison on a season-long loan with the option for another year at the Portuguese club. The 20-year-old Brazilian playmaker has agreed a five-year deal with the Catalan giants afer arriving from Palmeiras last week, but he faces considerable competition for places at Camp Nou. As a result, it has been decided that Keirrison would be better served spending a season in Portugal.

Argentinian midfielder Sebastian Prediger has become Porto's latest signing in the ever-increasing list of South Americans. The 22-year-old has joined the Portuguese champions from Colon. No details of the transfer have yet been released. Prediger, who came up through the ranks at Colan, has been capped once by Argentina and made his debut against Panama in a friendly match in May.

Sporting Portugal have signed Ecuadorean international Felipe Caicedo on a season-long loan from Manchester City. The summer arrivals of Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz meant the Ecuador striker's first-team chances were limited. Caicedo, 20, scored eleven goals in 44 league appearances for Basel prior to joining Manchester City in January 2008.