Having already seen the likes of Moufi (Burnley), Pedro Sá (Unión Magdalena), Anderson (Goiás), Yony González and Welinton Júnior leave the Algarve this summer, it now looks increasingly likely that those five first-team players could be followed out of the door by Filipe Relvas and Kosuke Nakamura.
German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg have returned with an improved offer believed to be in excess of €8 million for Relvas, with the talented young defender also wanted by various Italian clubs. Meanwhile, number one Japanese goalkeeper Nakamura has been closely linked with a €3.5 million move to Lyon (France) with several Belgian clubs also interested.
To date, the only incoming player has been Fulham academy forward Sylvester Jasper. At this rate, Portimonense will start the new season with an almost unrecognisable, untried squad made up of U-23 hopefuls.
In contrast, the situation at newly-promoted Farense is completely different. Influential midfielder Vítor Gonçalves is only one of several key players who will stay in the Algarve’s capital whilst the team is being actively strengthened by the arrival of playmaker Rafael Barbosa (Tondela) and promising Benfica B right back and Faro native Filipe Cruz. Also on the way could be goalkeeper Samuel Soares from the same Lisbon club as well as Porto B Mali midfielder Samba Kone.
In other news, now out of contract, former Portimonense captain Wilson Manafá, who moved to Porto for €7 million during the 2018/19 season, is on his way to Turkish club Trabzonspor on a free transfer.
By SKIP BANDELE
