Portugal remains a vibrant shopping market for the Premier League | OneFootball

Numerous English Premier League clubs have had plenty of success when signing talented players from Liga Portugal over the past few decades.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias are among a plethora of Portuguese players who have made a massive impact in English football.

The talent pipeline shows no signs of slowing down, with Liga Portugal clubs still churning out top-class players at a mind-boggling rate.

With that in mind, read on as we look at some of the Liga Portugal stars who could be heading to the Premier League in the future.

Samu Aghehowa – Porto

Tottenham Hotspur have been strongly linked with Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, and may step up their interest when the winter transfer window opens.

The 21-year-old has become one of the most prolific goalscorers in Europe since joining Porto from Atletico Madrid in 2024.

Some media outlets have claimed that the Portuguese giants would be willing to sell Aghehowa for £70 million, but that scenario seems unlikely.

Porto are currently on top of the Liga Portugal standings and on course to qualify for the knockout phase of the Europa League.

A deal for the Spain international would be difficult to complete mid-season without paying well over the odds, and Spurs may have to wait until the end of the season to sign him.

Ousmane Diomande – Sporting CP

Crystal Palace are interested in Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande as they strive to find a replacement for captain Marc Guehi.

However, several other clubs are monitoring the defender including Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Chelsea.

Guehi is set to leave Palace as a free agent next summer, although he could exit earlier if Liverpool decide they cannot wait until the end of the season.

Diomande has a sizeable release clause in his contract, but Sporting would reportedly consider doing business for around £50m.

If Palace land an unexpected windfall by selling Guehi to Liverpool in the winter transfer window, Diomande would become a more enticing proposition.

Antonio Silva – Benfica

Liverpool and Manchester United have been touted as possible destinations for Benfica defender Antonio Silva. Real Madrid are also in the mix.

Silva’s contract is scheduled to expire in June 2027, which leaves the Liga Portugal giants in an extremely precarious position.

The 22-year-old could be a viable long-term partner for Guehi at Liverpool. The pair could potentially replace Ibrahima Konate and Virgil Van Dijk.

Liverpool’s current first-choice defensive pairing have been hugely underwhelming this season, and the club urgently needs to address the situation.

Benfica would obviously prefer to keep hold of Silva, but may be forced to sell him to avoid losing him for free when his contract expires.

Clayton – Rio Ave

West Ham United need to improve their attacking options as they battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

The Hammers have been scouting Rio Ave forward Clayton, who has been outstanding in Liga Portugal since joining them last year.

The 26-year-old has been linked with Benfica and Nottingham Forest, so West Ham will need to move fast if they want to secure his services.

Forest could have a significant advantage as they share the same ownership as Rio Ave. They also need more firepower to boost their survival hopes.

While Clayton is unproven in the Premier League, his profile suggests he should be able to adapt pretty quickly to the demands of English football.

Henrique Araujo – Benfica

Henrique Araujo could leave Benfica in the winter transfer window, and a temporary return to England could be on the cards.

The forward previously had a loan spell at Watford in the Championship and has since played for two other Portuguese clubs.

He is contracted to Benfica until 2027, but the club are reportedly willing to sanction another loan before moving him on permanently next summer.

Any of the clubs currently battling against relegation in the Premier League could be a viable landing spot for a player who undoubtedly has a point to prove.

Araujo was a regular scorer for Portugal at U21 level and still has time to make his mark in one of Europe’s top leagues.

Victor Froholdt – Porto

Danish midfielder Victor Froholdt has garnered plenty of attention since joining Porto from FC Copenhagen last summer.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are all monitoring his progress, but will need to remain patient if they want to add him to their ranks.

UEFA rules prevent the 19-year-old from representing another club this season as he has already played for Copenhagen and Porto.

Froholdt has already broken into the Denmark national team, making his debut in March 2025 and scoring his first goal in a World Cup qualifier against Belarus in October.

While Porto will be eager to keep hold of Froholdt, the opportunity to flip him for a sizeable profit next summer could be too tempting to resist.

Rodrigo Mora – Porto

Rodrigo Mora is also unlikely to be available during the winter transfer window unless his €70m release clause is met.

He has been compared to legendary Argentinian star Lionel Messi, which is high praise given he has yet to turn 19.

Paris Saint-Germain explored the possibility of signing the teenager last summer, but were put off by Porto’s excessive transfer demands.

The Ligue 1 giants may return for him next summer, but will likely face competition from several Premier League clubs.

Given the comparisons with Messi, linking up with former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City could be an option.