FC Porto ready to spend more to secure bigger share of Borja Sainz | OneFootball

Borja Sainz once again proved decisive. After a few less effective games—which led to him starting the match against SC Braga on the bench—the Spanish winger for FC Porto made a great comeback. Coming on in the second half, he got ahead of Víctor Gómez to secure the 2-1 and guarantee all three points for the Dragons. Four days later, he scored again against Utrecht, rescuing a draw in the Netherlands and bringing his tally to four goals and two assists in 15 games this season.

The finishing instinct of number 17 was already well known—he scored 19 goals for Norwich in 2024/25—and was one of the reasons why the blue and white board paid 13.3 million euros for his transfer in the summer market. That amount could still increase by up to two million euros in bonuses, depending on the fulfillment of collective and individual objectives.

And what are those objectives? According to A BOLA, most of the bonuses are linked to one of the Dragons’ main collective goals for 2025/26: securing qualification for the UEFA Champions League, something that would be automatic in the case of a national title and, by itself, would cover the additional investment in the player. For the club led by André Villas-Boas to have to pay this amount, Borja will have to participate in more than 60% of the matches that ensure qualification for the 2026/27 edition of the millionaires’ competition—a goal that, barring unforeseen circumstances, seems plausible: so far, the 24-year-old forward has played in every league match and was only not a starter against SC Braga. He is expected to keep his place in Famalicão, reclaiming the spot he won back in the Europa League.

The individual portion of the bonuses agreed between Porto and Norwich is much smaller and, contrary to what might be expected, does not include a goal target. Instead, it foresees possible call-ups for Borja Sainz to Spain’s senior national team—he was an under-19 international, with three games and two goals at that level. The competition for the wings in La Roja is fierce, but Luis de la Fuente has been following FC Porto, notably because of Samu. On Friday, Borja was called up, albeit for the Basque Country national team, which does not compete officially and does not count for this tally.

It should be noted that Norwich retained 20% of the capital gain from a potential future sale, but FC Porto’s board secured the right to buy half of that percentage until June 30, 2026, for €1.5 million. According to sources consulted by A BOLA, the Dragons are inclined to exercise this option—not only because of what Borja Sainz has already shown, but also for the potential he still has to offer. Even so, there is time for the decision, and it is likely that the club will acquire the 10% currently at stake, a measure that also protects the club’s position in the market, since the winger is already starting to attract interest beyond England, particularly in Bilbao…

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