Villas-Boas on Silva and Yirenkyi, no Lewandowski: “Unrealistic dream” | OneFootball

Does this schedule give you any room to reflect on the market? “No, not at all. We are, naturally, already preparing for next season. Everything has been going according to the plan we set out. Although we, the Board, are already working on the 26/27 season, the 25/26 season only formally ends on June 30. So there is still a lot of work ahead. The truth is that the team is being built; we obviously want to go for the title again next year in the same way. We have a good foundation and a solid base from what we had to build on at the end of the 24/25 season.”

André Silva has arrived. Was this an idea that had been there since last year, or did it only come up this year? “It was also a meeting of minds with the coaching staff, with the player, with the strengthening of the squad, with the departures that took place… therefore, the non-continuation of several players: some due to misfortune, as in Luuk’s case; others by choice, as in Moffi’s case. So this is both a reinforcement and a homecoming for a player who knows FC Porto like no one else, who knows what the demands of its fans represent, and who really wanted to come home. So it was something we could not ignore, and he returns with all this excitement. We are confident that he will give a great deal to this club, and we very much want this addition to become a reality and for André to stay at FC Porto.”

You have already spoken about this and ruled out the possibility of Lewandowski heading to Porto. But some subliminal messages have been appearing on the club’s social media… is that possibility really out of the question? “Yes, I think that… I think social media sometimes fuels unrealistic dreams, and it is very normal for these dynamics to arise, especially when two FC Porto players, jokingly, got a quiz right that we ourselves had posted. So it has absolutely nothing to do with that.”

So it was not a hint? “If only… As you know, FC Porto operates within the market context, looking for the best solutions to strengthen its squad, in full agreement with the coaching staff, and at the appropriate time we will announce whoever we need to announce.”

And Caleb? Is there any news regarding Caleb Yirenkyi? “No, just a player on FC Porto’s radar, very difficult to sign because of the clubs’ financial demands. It is a bad time to work the markets because the demands are usually very high. So the market is only just beginning, it will become more active in July and August, and it will be in full swing in the final weeks of August and early September. So this is still a very early stage. I would also point out that, at the end of the 24/25 season, FC Porto entered the market much later, but very strongly. At this stage, these are always preliminary contacts. He is a player who has been on FC Porto’s radar since last year and has generated a lot of interest, particularly from Premier League clubs, but we have made no offer and taken no steps.”

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