FC Porto only go for a left-back if Zaidu or Francisco Moura leaves | OneFootball

The left side of the defense was identified by Francesco Farioli and FC Porto’s board as one of the positions to review during the summer transfer window. For now, Zaidu and Francisco Moura are the available options and, if neither leaves the club in the coming days, the signing of another left-back is not expected to go ahead.

This is the scenario the Dragons face heading into the final stage of the transfer window, even though both players have interested clubs. Zaidu started all four official matches played by the team this season and has been linked with Al Qadsiah. The Saudi club, however, is said to be looking to move on some players due to the limit of eight foreign players registered per matchday squad in the league. Among them are El Karouani, a Moroccan left-back who has attracted Benfica’s interest and was at one point on FC Porto’s radar, and Otávio, the Portugal international who had a memorable spell at the Dragão.

Francisco Moura’s situation is being monitored by a larger and more concrete group of suitors. Coventry, Deportivo and Fiorentina are among the clubs from Europe’s top leagues that have already sought information on the 27-year-old left-back. However, Porto’s board has set a price of around €10 million, a condition that has made progress in negotiations more difficult. More recently, the player, who wears the No. 74 shirt, was linked with Hamburg, a club that has in fact been following his case since June.

If an offer comes in for either of the two full-backs, FC Porto do not intend to lower the valuation they consider appropriate, although alternatives for the position have already been identified. Souza, a 20-year-old Brazilian linked with Tottenham, is one of the players on the shortlist. Zaidu is in the final year of his contract, but could extend his deal if he remains at the Dragão. Moura, on the other hand, could represent an interesting business opportunity: he has lost ground in Farioli’s pecking order and has not yet been used in official matches this season, but he still has an international market.

Even so, Francisco Moura could become important in the makeup of the squad list for the league phase of the Champions League, since he is considered a locally trained player. After Rodrigo Mora’s departure, that status will be an important factor to weigh when deciding the registered players.

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