FC Porto aim to stay ahead in the league with smart January signings | OneFootball

With just under a week to go before the official opening of the January transfer market, FC Porto's SAD continues its attempt to address the immediate needs of the blue and white squad, with the aim of tackling the three competitions in which Francesco Farioli's team participates with strength – with the championship title being the stated priority from the start for 2025/2026.

With the signing of the experienced Thiago Silva secured, intended to cover the forced absence of Nehuén Pérez – who underwent Achilles tendon surgery and is out for the season – André Villas-Boas and the coaching staff are turning their attention to acquiring a winger to provide competition for Pepê, William Gomes, and Borja Sainz until May. The most talked-about name for this position is Oskar Pietuszewski, a 17-year-old Polish prospect who has shown great maturity while playing for Jagiellonia Bialystok, standing out in his team's participation in the Conference League this season.

Jagiellonia is demanding around 10/11 million euros to release their young talent, a figure that FC Porto's management does not seem willing to meet, especially after an investment of over 100 million euros in the last transfer window. Therefore, any reinforcement will have to be carefully evaluated and not for high amounts.

If the operation does not proceed, the SAD has alternatives under consideration, but there remains Francesco Farioli's requirement to integrate another element capable of raising the quality in that area of the field. The squad includes Ángel Alarcón and Karamoh, but both are currently considered insufficient to meet the needs that the Italian coach aims to address.

The main question for the blue and white team in this market is whether a replacement will be signed for Luuk de Jong, who suffered a serious knee injury and will be out for several months. With limited financial margin after the last transfer window, the arrival of another striker will only materialize through a market opportunity, preferably a loan that adds potential and competes with Samu and Denis Gul. The decision will take into account the recommendations of Francesco Farioli, given that the schedule will become demanding and there is always the risk of new injuries or suspensions.

FC Porto intends to continue their streak of good results and, if possible, extend their lead over Sporting and Benfica in the championship. The signing of another midfielder to compete with Froholdt is being considered, but this solution would require the sale or loan of Tomás Pérez or Eustáquio, the latter having had less prominence since the arrival of Pablo Rosario. One certainty remains: until the market closes, the Dragon will strengthen its squad.

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