Portuguese Football in English
Transfer market round-up among Portugal’s big four
The summer transfer window has been a quiet one for Portugal’s three title contenders thus far, with the departure of stalwart captains Sebastián Coates and Pepe at Sporting and Porto respectively the biggest news.
Braga have been one of the most active clubs in the league so far, with 8 new faces and 8 departures. Tom Kundert rounds up the main incomings and outgoings.
Vítor Bruno was today appointed the new manager of FC Porto. It will be his first job as a head coach after working for 13 years as Sérgio Conceição’s assistant, the last seven of which at the Estádio do Dragão.
Bruno signs a two-year contract and is confident he is up to the task. “I think it will be a pathway of total success,” said the 41-year-old at his unveiling alongside president André Villas-Boas.
Despite a highly successful season for Sporting, the goalkeeper position was a problem for the team in 2023/24. The Portuguese champions have moved quickly to address the issue, signing Bosnia and Herzegovina born Vladan Kovacevic for a fee of around €5 million from Polish club RKS Raków.
Vitória have also made an early move in the summer transfer market, reinforcing their midfield options by buying Vizela captain Samu Silva.
After weeks of speculation, FC Porto have confirmed that the club are parting ways with coach Sérgio Conceição.
Former Porto player Conceição thus ends a seven-year spell as the main man at the Estádio do Dragão and will go down as one of the club’s greatest ever coaches.
New Porto president André Villas-Boas has kept his cards close to his chest as regards the new man in the dugout, with Conceição’s assistant Vítor Bruno said to be among the front-runners.
Porto are winners of the 2023/24 Portuguese Cup after beating Sporting in the final at Jamor this afternoon to lift the trophy for the third consecutive year.
The Lions drew first blood when Jeramiah St. Juste headed in a corner midway through the first half but five minutes later Porto were level when Evanilson took advantage of a crass mistake by Geny Catamo. Soon afterwards St. Juste was sent off for bringing down Wenderson Galeno as the last man.
Sporting held on for 60 minutes playing a man down to force extra time, but Evanilson was decisive again in the added period, drawing a careless foul and penalty by the nervy Sporting goalkeeper Diogo Pinto, which Mehdi Taremi converted, and there was no way back for Sporting.
