English and Liga clubs were already tracking Olival gem | OneFootball

Among the renewals announced in recent days and weeks, João Teixeira’s stood out because it involved a player in an older age bracket (20) than André Miranda, Bernardo Lima and Duarte Cunha, all 18. The Vila Real-born midfielder is in his second season fully integrated into FC Porto B and, thanks to the progress he has shown in that setting, he had been attracting interest both internally and abroad.

As A BOLA has learned, João Teixeira has been watched by clubs from England, but there were already those considering taking him to the Primeira Liga. In that regard, according to the information gathered by our newspaper, three clubs from the top flight had the young midfielder on their radar, alert to the possibility of taking advantage of the player’s previous contractual situation — his deal was due to expire at the end of this season.

But FC Porto’s SAD never wanted to give up the gem and therefore moved to renew his contract until 2031, officially announced the day before yesterday. On the player’s side, the priority was always clear: to stay at the Dragão, with the dream of reaching the first team and establishing himself there very much alive. In fact, that goal had already seemed less far off. Throughout the season, João Teixeira was called up several times by Francesco Farioli to train with the senior squad, even making the bench in Europa League matches. Standing at an imposing 1.86 metres, he fits more the profile of an inside midfielder, which the Italian coach favours in his preferred 4-3-3, than that of a pure No. 10.

That is why the midfielder from Trás-os-Montes is a candidate — like Bernardo Lima, though not only him — to be part of a group of academy youngsters called up for the seniors’ pre-season in July. Farioli will naturally have the final say, but João Teixeira is well placed among the options of the coach of the new national champions.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.