“Window is dragging on, but we can't pay 20 or 30 million for a player” | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli is preparing for the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira final against Torreense at a time when the market is focusing attention on FC Porto. The coach spoke about the need to add quality to the squad, the financial limitations affecting deals, and his confidence in the players who have already raised expectations. Faced with the noise surrounding the news and the club’s ambitions, he was emphatic: “that is not the reality.”

In the build-up to the decisive match, Francesco Farioli struck a tone that was both cautious and ambitious. The Porto coach acknowledges that the new season will demand answers on different fronts, but stresses that the team’s development must continue to follow clearly defined criteria.

When asked about the next steps in the market, Farioli highlighted the work done so far and explained which gaps he believes need to be filled in order to keep the team competitive.

“My analysis has always been very logical about what we have and what we need. In the last summer and January windows we worked very well and prepared ourselves for different possible scenarios. Thiago Silva and Pietuszewski were signings to strengthen the team, Terem Moffi and Fofana had a huge impact after Samu’s injury and to give Froholdt a bit of breathing room,” he said. “That is what allowed us to compete in three competitions. This season, we are also absolutely aligned, we know what the team needs to remain competitive in the league, knowing that we have to raise our level because our rivals will strengthen, and because there is the Champions League, which is clearly a level above.”

For the coach, the transfer policy is part of a broader plan designed to meet the demands of the league and the added difficulty of European competition. Internal demands therefore go hand in hand with the expectations created outside the club.

Farioli also addressed the more immediate priorities and admitted that there is a significant difference between identifying targets and having the conditions to move for them, which ultimately affects the speed of negotiations.

“What the president said about our priorities and what we have to do in the market says it all. We know what we want, but there is another side to it, which is what we can do. That is why some things are taking a little longer,” he explained. “When we read the press, it seems like we can spend 20 or 30 million on players, but that is not the reality. So we have to be creative, to find the right solution, so that we have a team that can compete again with the right energy. But we cannot forget one thing: if we are where we are and if expectations are so high, it is because these players have already been capable of raising the level. There is no one in the dressing room who wants to lower those expectations.”

The coach therefore rejects the idea that the wait-and-see approach in the market should be seen as a cause for concern, or that FC Porto’s ambition is based on unrealistic promises. The creativity required in negotiations is tied to the confidence he has in the dressing room, where he sees the foundation needed to preserve the level achieved and live up to expectations.

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