Five signings who could lift FC Porto in 2026/27 | OneFootball

With more than a month still to go before the summer transfer window closes, clubs still have time to strengthen their squads. Some are just putting the finishing touches in place, while others are still chasing major-impact signings. FC Porto are, in a way, somewhere between those two scenarios.

The Dragons naturally have a squad with enough quality to try to defend the title won last season. Even so, it is also true that the gap over their rivals narrowed, both in points and in the football played and the statistics, so it will be important to have more options for the new season. In addition to the fight for back-to-back titles, FC Porto will also face the UEFA Champions League and the remaining domestic competitions, all of which are naturally targets for Francesco Farioli’s team.

Looking at the squad carried over from last season, there are positions and areas that seem to require new options. In defense, the goalkeeping position — if Diogo Costa stays — and central defense are well covered, but the full-back positions need at least one signing. In midfield, Fofana’s departure left an important gap after the end of his spell in the Invicta, making a quality alternative necessary.

In attack, it is mainly the wingers that cry out for new players capable of making the difference. The striker position seems more stable with the arrival of André Silva, who joins Deniz Gul while Samu is still unavailable. Also considering the possibility that any Porto player could be transferred at any moment in the face of an irresistible offer, here are five names who could make the Dragons even stronger in 2026/27.

5.

Oswin Appollis – FC Porto need to strengthen the attacking wings, since only William Gomes and Oskar Pietuszewski combine already proven output with room for development and future quality. Pepê is approaching the downward stage of his career, Borja Sainz has not managed to establish himself as a fully reliable option, and youngsters such as André Miranda, Duarte Cunha and Tiago Andrade are still “raw” options.

Oswin Appollis stood out in the latest South African football season. After swapping Polokwane City for Orlando Pirates, he produced the best season of his career so far, with 11 goals and nine assists in 37 matches. He was also called up by the South Africa national team for the 2026 World Cup, a competition in which he featured in four matches. He is 24 years old and can play on both flanks, although he appears more often on the right.

He is a fast and explosive winger, strong in one-on-one situations and inclined to cut inside from the touchline into central areas, looking to create goal-scoring chances. He could be an important weapon for unlocking balanced matches.

4.

Rodrigo Pinheiro – The full-back positions were one of FC Porto’s least consistent areas in 2025/26. Alberto Costa had a good season, but did not maintain throughout the year the level he showed in the opening months. Martim Fernandes proved to be a steady option capable of playing on both sides, although without truly dazzling. On the left, Francisco Moura does not enjoy much consensus among the fans and has come in for considerable criticism. Zaidu, meanwhile, shows some physical inconsistency, although he remains a valid alternative and contributes positively to the group spirit. It is therefore an area in need of new solutions.

After splitting his youth development between Vitória SC and FC Porto, Rodrigo Pinheiro took a step forward at FC Famalicão. Last season, the right-back was one of the five Famalicão players who attracted the most attention, recording three goals and two assists in 29 matches. At 23, he could create strong and healthy competition with Alberto Costa on the right, allowing Martim Fernandes to mainly take on the role of backup on the left, together with whichever player remains in the squad between Moura and Zaidu.

He is a capable footballer, with the physical availability to meet the team’s demands. He provides depth down the flank, crosses well, and has already shown the ability to press opponents and launch transitions. He is at a particularly suitable stage of his career to make the jump to a big club like the national champions.

3.

Dário Osorio – Still on the subject of wide options, it would be interesting to add a different profile from the name mentioned above. Dário Osorio could offer exactly that kind of alternative.

Born in Chile but competing in Denmark for the past three years, Osorio has grown noticeably over the last few seasons with Midtjylland, for whom he has 23 goals and 16 assists in 112 matches. He is 22 years old, 1.84 m tall, left-footed, and operates mainly on the right side of the attack, although he can also perform on the left.

He is a technically refined player and confident in his actions, with creativity and the ability to surprise, whether with his first or second touch. He performs the winger’s duties well, but also stands out between the lines thanks to his vision, ball carrying, and shooting quality. He would be a very significant addition to Porto’s attack and an opportunity that should not be ignored.

2.

Mathias de Amorim – Although midfield was one of the main strengths of the title-winning FC Porto side in 2025/26, there is room to introduce changes and refresh some options, preventing the area from becoming predictable. Froholdt and Rosario should remain trusted figures at the Dragão, while the arrival of Hwang In-beom will add consistency to the defensive work. As such, the biggest question concerns strengthening the attacking side of midfield.

Taking into account the options used by Francesco Farioli last season and the system adopted by the team, there are players who seem to have more difficulty fitting in, such as Rodrigo Mora, Stephen Eustáquio and Vasco Sousa. João Teixeira and Tiago Silva remain secondary options, so a loan or move to another club could be beneficial. Even though they are important players, FC Porto should not turn down financially attractive offers for Alan Varela, Gabri Veiga or even Mora. Those departures would free up space in the squad and resources to find new solutions.

FC Famalicão’s project continues to produce players of great value for Portuguese football, and Mathias de Amorim is one of the best examples, showing extraordinary room for development. In 2025/26, he scored five goals and provided two assists in 33 matches. At 21, after beginning his development at Bordeaux and following two good seasons at Famalicão, the central midfielder would have a lot to offer Porto’s game. He can link the defensive and attacking phases, contributes quality in circulation, is competent off the ball and in pressing actions, and also knows how to control the tempo of a match according to what is needed.

With Froholdt given more freedom to take on attacking duties, Mathias de Amorim could function as an ideal box-to-box midfielder, contributing defensively and in transitions without ceasing to appear in the final third to assist or shoot. His signing would allow FC Porto to invest in the future of a Portuguese player and secure one of the midfielders with the greatest potential for the national team.

1.

Gustavo Sá – Following the same logic as the previous suggestion, this would be an equally strong, or even stronger, alternative. If several departures in Porto’s midfield are confirmed and more than one important player leaves the club, signing Gustavo Sá would become essential to rebuild the area.

At 21, and after three consistent and promising seasons at FC Famalicão, Gustavo Sá is one of the most exciting young players in Portuguese football. He is on the radar of several clubs, but FC Porto could still get ahead of the competition and secure this “little lemon” while it is still full of juice.

He is a modern midfielder, capable of interpreting every phase of the game. He knows how to occupy spaces in the opposition midfield, offers quality in his passing — including the final pass — and has the ability to win the ball back. In the attacking process, he stands out both for his contribution in build-up play, through his vision and passing quality, and for the way he appears in decisive areas to finish moves, whether through a shot or an assist. He would, without a doubt, be the signing of the summer.

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