Why Farioli urged the board to keep Deniz Gul: his reasons | OneFootball

Deniz Gul came on in the second half against Arouca and changed the course of the match, bringing stability to FC Porto. The Turkish international scored his first goal of the season three minutes after Martim Fernandes was sent off. Contrary to expectations, Arouca entered a negative spiral and FC Porto accelerated towards a 4-0 thrashing.

A year after his last goal wearing the blue and white shirt, Gul’s good moment in Serra da Freita once again highlighted one of the squad’s most promising prospects, who has been living in the shadow of Samu and, until recently, Luuk de Jong, who is now out of action due to injury.

Spotted by FC Porto’s scouts at Hammarby, the number 27 arrived at Dragão in the summer of 2024 for 4.5 million euros. This investment reflects the club’s vision, which saw in Gul not only a raw talent but also a player with the potential to establish himself. However, adapting to Portuguese football was slow and demanding, leaving Deniz surrounded by doubts at the start of 2025/26. Even so, Porto’s board refused to put him on the summer market, despite interest from several Turkish and Belgian clubs—a decision supported by Francesco Farioli’s position regarding the striker.

The Porto coach was surprised by the progress Gul showed since the start of pre-season, especially in terms of finishing ability and attitude in training, and firmly advocated for the player’s continuity in the squad. A similar situation has already occurred with other cases, with Pepê being the most notable example.

Imposing in the box (1.88 m) and with the right profile to serve as an attacking reference, Gul has characteristics that set him apart from Samu. His ease in playing with his back to goal, protecting the ball under pressure, and combining with midfielders and wingers pleases the Italian coach. These qualities, combined with his young age—21 years old—make the striker a versatile player with great potential for development, a combination that satisfies both coach and board. Tomorrow, against Red Star, Deniz Gul has the chance to return to the starting eleven, something that hasn’t happened since April 26, against Estrela da Amadora. As Farioli stated, the only thing the Turk was missing was “to believe more in himself”…

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