Portimonense are continuing to strengthen their squad with 26-year-old Senegalese midfielder Moustapha Seck the latest confirmed signing from Leixões while 22-year-old Brazilian left back Pastor is close to completing his move from the same second division club.
The Algarveans are still searching to fill the void left up front by the departure of Beto, and Dutch striker Reuven Niemeijer has been put forward as a possible replacement. The 27-year-old has been prolific in Holland over the past season, finding the back of the net on 17 occasions and providing 13 assists for newly-promoted Excelsior Rotterdam.
Manager Paulo Sérgio’s growing ensemble will have plenty of opportunities to blend together ahead of the new campaign with July pre-season friendlies against José Mourinho’s Roma, Sporting Lisbon, Monaco and Braga (dates and Algarve venues still to be announced) added to the already confirmed fixtures with Birmingham City and Covilhã.
Big Three
Elsewhere, English Premier League clubs have been raiding Portugal’s ‘big three’ with Liverpool paying up to €100 million for Benfica forward Darwin Nunes and Arsenal completing the €35 million transfer of Porto’s Fábio Vieira. The current champions could still lose €70 million-rated Evanilson to Manchester United while both Sporting’s Palhinha and Matheus are the subject of bids from Portuguese-managed Wolves and Fulham.
By SKIP BANDELE
