Players with links to Admar Lopes could be on Vasco’s radar

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Papo na Colina

·6 January 2026

Players with links to Admar Lopes could be on Vasco’s radar

Recognized for more than 10 years as one of the top scouts in European football, football executive Admar Lopes is now directly influencing Vasco da Gama’s market mapping. With stints at Porto, Monaco, Lille, Boavista, and Bordeaux, the director has built a vast network of contacts and a clear recruitment profile.

Since arriving at São Januário, Admar has already reunited with Léo Jardim, played a decisive role in signing Thiago Mendes, and tried to facilitate the arrival of Jonathan Ikoné—all players he himself recruited during his time at Lille. The pattern indicates that Vasco may target athletes already known to the executive, reducing sporting and adaptation risks.

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Based on this track record, some names who have played for clubs where Admar worked or were directly scouted by him appear as possible targets for Vasco, while respecting the club’s current financial situation.

Goalkeepers

Paul Nardi (1994) – QPR (ENG)
Jean Butez (1995) – Como (ITA)
Hervé Koffi (1996) – Angers (FRA)

Center Backs

Júnior Alonso (1993) – Atlético-MG
Abdou Diallo (1996) – Al-Duhail (QAT)
Chidozie Awaziem (1997) – Nantes (FRA)
Tiago Djaló (2000) – Beşiktaş (TUR)
Jackson Porozo (2000) – Troyes (FRA)
Alejandro Gómez (2002) – Tijuana (MEX)
Emmanuel Biumla (2005) – Angers (FRA)

Right Backs

Almamy Touré (1995) – Free agent
Reggie Cannon (1998) – Colorado Rapids (USA)
Nathan (2001) – Santos
Timothée Pembélé (2002) – Sunderland (ENG)

Left Backs

Reinildo Mandava (1994) – Sunderland (ENG)
Benjamin Mendy (1994) – Pogoń Szczecin (POL)
Fodé Ballo-Touré (1997) – Metz (FRA)
Ricardo Mangas (1998) – Sporting (POR)
Gideon Mensah (1998) – Auxerre (FRA)
Rúben Vinagre (1999) – Legia Warsaw (POL)

Defensive Midfielders

Fabinho (1993) – Al-Ittihad (KSA)
Tiémoué Bakayoko (1994) – Free agent
Xeka (1994) – Estoril (POR)
Thiago Maia (1997) – Internacional
Renato Sanches (1997) – Panathinaikos (GRE)
Boubakary Soumaré (1999) – Leicester (ENG)
Jean Onana (2000) – Genoa (ITA)

Midfielders

James Rodríguez (1991) – Free agent
Thomas Lemar (1995) – Girona (ESP)
Farès Bahlouli (1995) – Free agent
Yusuf Yazıcı (1997) – Olympiakos (GRE)
Nuno Santos (1999) – Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA)
Yacine Adli (2000) – Al-Shabab (KSA)

Right Wingers

Nicolas Pépé (1995) – Villarreal (ESP)
Rony Lopes (1995) – Tondela (POR)
Gil Dias (1996) – Famalicão (POR)
Luiz Araújo (1996) – Flamengo
Jonathan Ikoné (1998) – Paris FC (FRA)
Isaac Lihadji (2002) – Al-Arabi (QAT)

Left Wingers

Lucas Ocampos (1994) – Monterrey (MEX)
Jonathan Bamba (1996) – Chicago Fire (USA)
Allan Saint-Maximin (1997) – América (MEX)
Javairô Dilrosun (1998) – América (MEX)
Zuriko Davitashvili (2001) – Saint-Étienne (FRA)
Tiago Morais (2003) – Casa Pia (POR)

Strikers

Anthony Martial (1995) – Monterrey (MEX)
Lebo Mothiba (1996) – Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA)
Ezequiel Ponce (1997) – Houston Dynamo (USA)

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Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

Out of Vasco’s Financial Reality

Despite their connection with Admar Lopes, some names are considered out of the club’s reach at this time, such as Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Magalhães, Zeki Çelik, Victor Osimhen, Rafael Leão, Jonathan David, among other players established in major European leagues.

With clear gaps in the squad and the transfer window still open, Vasco remains alert to the market. The trend is that names already known by Admar Lopes will gain strength internally, especially in opportunity signings, loans, or players at the end of their contracts.

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