Fernando recalls Fofana, on Froholdt: “That Danish lad is like me” | OneFootball

Fernando looks at today’s FC Porto with declared sympathy and a trained eye for recognizing quality, especially in midfield, the area of the pitch where he made his name. Reviewing the current Porto squad, the former midfielder highlighted established figures, underlined the growth of youngsters, and even left a curious remark about a Dane who reminds him of himself. Amid the praise, there was also room to revisit two old acquaintances: Luuk de Jong and Fofana. And he assured: “FC Porto have a very strong squad.”

In the picture he paints of this phase of the team, Fernando sees a club renewed in ambition and quality, with solutions that catch his eye in several areas. The former Dragons midfielder spoke with natural enthusiasm about a group he considers well equipped, with the central message being the depth and individual quality of a squad that, in his eyes, offers clear signs of strength.

Asked about FC Porto’s transformation and the players he likes most in the current setup, Fernando responded openly, spreading praise among more established names and young players making their mark. In the middle of it, he made a light-hearted reference to a Danish midfielder said to be very similar to him.

“I really like Pepê, whom I’ve been following for some time. As for Thiago Silva, there’s no need to say anything!”, he said. “But I also see youngsters like Mora, who has huge potential, even if he hasn’t played that many matches. William Gomes is growing a lot, he’s in a fantastic moment. I really like Diogo Costa for his several years at a high level. And I think there’s a Danish lad there who they say is very much like me! I’ve seen that Froholdt has great work rate on the pitch. FC Porto have a very strong squad.”

In Fernando’s reading, the praise comes not only from established reputations, but also from the mix of proven performance and room for growth. It is this balance that underpins the idea of a group capable of responding with quality in different moments of the game.

When the conversation moved more specifically to midfield, the territory that defines him best, the former international sharpened his focus and expanded the list of references. It was a detailed analysis from someone who recognizes roles, profiles, and complementarities.

“Another excellent one is Gabri Veiga.”, he stressed. “But in my position I also appreciate Varela, who is strong in several aspects, and Pablo Rosario, against whom I even played. It’s very well stocked.”

More than highlighting a single name, Fernando outlined a sector with variety and resources. The expression he chose — “It’s very well stocked.” — neatly sums up his perception of a midfield with depth, arguments, and solutions.

Speaking about Luuk de Jong, the perspective shifted to a more personal tone, anchored in the time they spent together at Sevilla. Fernando lamented the striker’s setback, but made a point of underlining what he offers any team.

“I can speak about him because he was my teammate at Sevilla. He went through tremendous bad luck, and I hope he recovers well so he can still leave his mark at FC Porto.”, he explained. “He gives the team a lot of reference points, always well positioned, and from crosses he knows how to be in the right place to score with his headers. He is an excellent target man, he relieves a lot of pressure from the team because he knows how to hold up the ball. When he left Sevilla I was really very sad, it was not a good decision by the club.”

In Fernando’s words, Luuk de Jong comes across as a striker of obvious usefulness, one of those who organizes attacking play even when he does not have the ball. The portrait is of a player with clear reference points, important in support play and lethal in occupying the box.

As for Fofana, the memory took him back to the days when he saw him getting close to Manchester City’s first team. The description was based on direct observation, with emphasis on his physical impact and ability to connect different areas of the pitch.

“I saw Fofana arrive in City’s first team, that’s true! He trained with us, he was already very dynamic, very strong, made use of his long legs and big strides.”, he described. “I was used to seeing him play, but it was difficult for him to establish himself at City. You could see the potential. Now I saw him again in that clash with Nottingham, that long box-to-box stride, arriving unexpectedly in the opposition box. He has characteristics that are hard to find.”

It is praise that goes beyond a superficial impression: Fernando identifies in Fofana a rare combination of power, mobility, and forward drive. And, just as he had throughout the whole conversation about FC Porto, he once again looks at talent with the precision of someone who knows the weight of every gesture on the pitch.

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