Winger deal falls through, door opens for Mora… and more | OneFootball

From a qualitative standpoint, FC Porto's summer market balance was clearly positive; however, to reach an almost perfect level, one piece was missing: a winger to join Pepê, William Gomes, and Borja Sainz on the attack flanks, completing the sector.

It wasn't for lack of trying by the SAD. The management led by André Villas-Boas explored options almost until the end – names like Manor Solomon (Villarreal) and Tom Watson (Brighton) were mentioned – but this path eventually fell through. This does not worry the blue and white structure nor, especially, the coach, Francesco Farioli. According to gathered information, the administration and the Italian coach are perfectly aligned regarding the squad's vision, especially concerning the wingers.

Besides full confidence in the abilities of Pepê and Borja, pointed out as probable starters on the right and left, respectively, the emergence of William Gomes – capable of playing on both flanks with visible performance – gives security to Farioli and his technical team. Even so, the season is long, and FC Porto competes on four fronts, making internal alternatives gain relevance. In the spotlight, Rodrigo Mora.

At this stage, the number 86 jersey is preferably seen as an option for the midfield – in Alvalade, he came in to replace the injured Gabri Veiga as a left midfielder – but the young player's journey from Olival speaks for itself: he feels comfortable starting from the left wing, using diagonals and shooting with his right foot. His continuity at Dragão foresees regular use, which may precisely occur on the flank.

The Dragons also have a plan C. With the goal of developing players and supplying the main team, the B team is a source of alternatives for the winger positions. Names like Brayan Caicedo and Ángel Alarcón stand out. The Colombian, 19 years old, has been occasionally called to senior training and even made it to the bench in the thrashing against Casa Pia (4-0) at Estádio do Dragão. Meanwhile, the Spaniard started the pre-season under Farioli's guidance after being called up for the Club World Cup.

Moreover, the list of registered players for the UEFA Europa League opens doors to more homegrown talent, such as wingers Gonçalo Sousa (19 years old) and André Miranda (17), who are on list B. Gonçalo made his debut in the main team in May of last year…

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