Olival product Luís Gomes eyes role as Porto's fifth centre-back | OneFootball

Among the several young players from FC Porto’s academy that Francesco Farioli has been watching since the start of pre-season, only two are part of the defensive unit: the versatile full-back Yoan Pereira and centre-back Luís Gomes. Since this morning, that area has gained much more depth with the returns of Bednarek, Kiwior, Prpic and Zaidu, but the two Olival-developed players are expected to keep fighting to convince the Italian coach that they can be valid options for a demanding season. In Luís’s case, there is even the possibility of establishing himself as a direct alternative to the quartet of centre-backs in the main squad, which, barring an irresistible offer for Jakub Kiwior, appears to be settled. But let’s take it one step at a time.

The SAD led by André Villas-Boas has no intention of going into the market in search of another option for the heart of the defence. The Porto structure and Farioli trust in the qualities of Bednarek, Kiwior, Nehuén Pérez and Prpic to provide guarantees throughout the season, with Pablo Rosario also available, whose versatility is well known and highly appreciated by the 37-year-old coach.

On the other hand, the B team also serves as a stepping stone for integrating talent into the main squad and, at the same time, as support for the first team whenever needed. It is in this context that Farioli may find another natural centre-back as a solution for a possible injury or other unforeseen circumstance.

At 21, Luís Gomes is entering his 12th season wearing the dragon on his chest, identified as one of the FC Porto-developed footballers with the greatest room for improvement. Standing at 1.89 metres, he gained more senior-level experience in 2025/26, making 17 appearances for the B team, coached by João Brandão. He is also a regular presence in Portugal’s youth national teams and helped the country’s under-20 side win the Toulon Tournament at the beginning of June, a competition in which he featured in two matches.

Now, Luís Gomes has a serious opportunity to show his worth among the more experienced players, already knowing that it will likely be with the second team that he finds more regular competitive space, not least because he is expected to take on a leadership role in that context. Felipe Silva is expected to leave in the summer – São Paulo are very interested – and Gabriel Brás, who is working with the main squad, is also a strong candidate to move on: at 22, he has already completed three seasons with the B team and is preparing to step up to another level.

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