Portuguese Football in English
With the European seasons now done and dusted things are beginning to heat up in the transfer market.
Jan Hagen rounds up the latest gossip swirling around the Portuguese media involving Porto pair Jackson Martínez and Brahimi, Sporting and Portugal right-back Cédric Soares and Benfica's Anderson Talisca, among others, while a number of Primeira Liga clubs have appointed their coaches for 2015/16.
Portuguese football journalist Jan Hagen kicks off what will be a regular column throughout the summer months as he takes a trip round the transfer rumour mill.
Starting off in the north and Porto, Jackson Martínez’s days in Portugal seem numbered. The Colombian hitman has had a terrific season, but it’s well-known he wants a move to a bigger league. Not only has Jorge Mendes been involved to kick-start things, but also on Tuesday, the likeable striker told Colombia’s Rádio Caracol that he has permission to leave Porto.
In an astonishing turn of events, Benfica's longest-serving post-war coach and the man who has just guided the Eagles to their first back-to-back championship triumph in over three decades, Jorge Jesus, has left the club for fierce cross-town rivals Sporting.
At least that's what every Portuguese media outlet is reporting, although nothing has yet been confirmed officially.
Jesus, a former Sporting player, is reported to have been lured by a €6million/season salary over three years, while Vitória Guimarães coach Rui Vitória is set to take over at Benfica.
The curtain has come down on the domestic season in Portugal for another year.
As usual, the campaign gifted fans of Portuguese football with memorable moments, joy and heartbreak, along with a generous dose of controversy thrown in for good measure.
Perhaps more than any other recent season, the traditional Big Three proved to be a class above the rest. But how will Benfica, Porto and Sporting look back on 2014/15?
PortuGOAL asked its three club experts for their assessment.
Sporting won the Taça de Portugal at the Estádio do Jamor on penalities in one of the most dramatic Portuguese cup finals in recent memory.
Goals from Éder, after Cédric Soares conceded a penalty and was dismissed, and Rafa Silva gave Braga the advantage after just 25 minutes but two late strikes from Islam Slimani and Fredy Montero took it to extra time, then penalties.
Sporting scored all of theirs, but a Rui Patrício save and 2 misses from Éder and Salvador Agra gave the cup to Sporting.
