Portuguese Football in English
German side Borussia Dortmund have announced that Portuguese left-back Raphaël Guerreiro is set to sign an extension to his current contract, tying him to the Bundesliga club until 2023.
Guerreiro’s deal runs out at the end of the season and there was some speculation during the summer about a possible move, with Barcelona suggested as potential suitors for the 25-year-old, who has been at Dortmund since 2016.
Among the growing array of Portuguese managers working across the globe, there are few coaches currently enjoying more positive moments than Pedro Martins and Jorge Jesus in Greece and Brazil respectively.
While former Guimarães boss Martins has watched his Olympiakos side continue their excellent form during the latter stages of last season by making a winning start to the new Super League campaign along with emphatic qualification for the Champions League, veteran tactician Jesus leads the Brazilian Serie A with Flamengo and looks forward to a Copa Libertadores semi-final.
As the transfer window shuts all around Europe, Portuguese footballers have again made a big splash this summer, none more so than the move of João Félix from Benfica to Atlético Madrid for a massive €126 million fee.
For years now Europe’s biggest clubs have turned to the Primeira Liga to inject a splash of that special Portuguese flair, and the players in question have jumped at the chance to showcase their talents on a bigger stage – not to mention giving their bank accounts a boost – only for it to turn out a case of “careful what you wish for” for some.
Several Portuguese players, seemingly on the brink of global stardom, have struggled to replicate abroad the form that made them look like world beaters in their home country. PortuGOAL looks at five players who left these shores with the world at their feet, only to get lost in the wilderness and severely curtail their career prospects.
The European transfer window closed on Monday evening and various Portuguese footballers beat the rush to secure moves ahead of the deadline. Most notable in finding a new home is André Silva, with the Seleção striker leaving AC Milan for German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt on a two-year loan deal.
Elsewhere, Manuel Fernandes will remain in Russian football after finally ending speculation of his future by signing for Krasnodar, while youngster Thierry Correia departs Portugal and Sporting for Spanish heavyweight Valencia.
Mexican club Cruz Azul have announced the departure of coach Pedro Caixinha by mutual consent after 19 months with the Portuguese at the helm.
Caixinha leaves Cruz Azul having won the Copa MX Apertura last year as well as the Supercopa MX this year, while coming runners-up in the Liga MX Apertura in 2018.
