Former Tottenham midfielder Sandro has made the shock move to seventh-tier side Harborough Town. The 35-year-old, who played 106 times across his four years at Spurs, retired from professional football in September 2023 after a spell in Portugal, but has now decided to put his boots back on and sign for the Bees.
The Leicestershire-based non-league outfit play in the Southern League Premier Central and are into the second-round of the FA Cup. Harborough have beaten Darlaston Town, Stourbridge, Leamington, Bury and Tonbridge Angels to get to this stage of the competition and face Reading of League One in the next round.
Harborough announced the signing by admitting the transfer could 'break the internet' and manager Mitch Austin said: "What an unbelievable signing for the club, I really cannot express how I am feeling.
"I had a chance conversation with Sandro a couple of weeks ago and we got talking about football, told him about Harborough Town FC and the journey we are on and he has been messaging me ever since to sign on, totally unbelievable and gobsmacked is how I would describe this signing.
"These sort of signings don’t happen every day but when you get a chance to sign an ex-professional footballer who has played at the highest level in the Premier League and Internationally with Brazil, you just cannot turn it down."
Chairman Pete Dougan said: "What can I say, Mitch has done it again! I don’t know how but what a signing this is, a real show of intent from the club to be as good as they can.
"When I met Sandro I have to say there was trepidation, but really I cannot speak highly enough of him and his professionalism and will to make this signing happen.
"Everything about the signing was positive, what negative could there possibly be? He will certainly help all the players around him and what a time to be one of those players, I am sure they will relish him being at the club as should we all."
Sandro joined Tottenham from Internacional in August 2010 for a fee in the region of £8.3million. It took the Brazilian a little bit of time to adjust to English football, but once he did, he became an important asset for Spurs.
Sandro received special praise from Harry Redknapp after impressing against AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League in February 2011, winning Man of the Match in the second leg at White Hart Lane. He continued to shine and cemented himself as their first-choice defensive midfielder.
However, Sandro's Tottenham career took a downturn when he picked up a knee injury in January 2013 - an issue that ruled him out for the rest of the season. He made just 25 appearances in the 2013/14 season for Spurs before leaving the club and signing for QPR in September 2014.
Since then, Sandro has played for West Brom, Antalyaspor, Benevento, Genoa and Udinese. Across his career, Sandro has played 318 matches and has been capped 17 times for Brazil.
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