Who's out and who's in: overhaul under way in FC Porto B defence | OneFootball

Tiago Ferreira’s return to FC Porto is part of the club’s reorganization plan for next season, with special focus on the Dragons’ B team. The idea is to give the defender, who knows the reality of Porto well after seven years linked to the club, a leading role, helping to develop young players in the transition from academy football to the professional game, in a logic similar to the one that recently led André Castro to become assistant to Francesco Farioli.

Last season, Tiago Ferreira was one of the most-used players at Paços de Ferreira, a team that ended up being relegated to Liga 3. Along the way, he built up experience in several foreign leagues, with spells in Belgium, Romania, Hungary, Iran and Albania, in addition to representing various clubs in Portugal. He never made his debut for FC Porto’s first team, something that also does not appear likely now. Instead, he will be part of the renewal that the professional football structure is preparing for the B team’s central defensive axis, coached by João Brandão. Going the other way, Gabriel Brás, who is under contract with the Dragons until 2028, could be loaned to a first-division club to gain a different level of competitive experience after three full seasons with the B team.

Felipe Silva’s departure is also on the table, as A BOLA reported at the time. The 24-year-old Brazilian centre-back was the most-used player in the reserve side in 2025/26, but he still has a market and could yet bring in a fee for the SAD. It is a possibility currently being assessed by Porto’s decision-makers. António Ribeiro, meanwhile, is close to the end of his contract and is looking for a different kind of role.

The competitive space in the B team will also include youngsters Luís Gomes and Martim Chelmik, with the former to be assessed by Farioli in the national champions’ pre-season (see article above). It is also worth noting that in the under-19s, Filipe Sousa — who has already played for the B team — Salvador Gomes and Marco Silva are also on João Brandão’s radar and could go on to earn more space.

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