Everyone knows just how beneficial a loan can be for a young footballer’s career. The three biggest teams in Portugal tend to have a long list of talents playing in other colours season after season.
João Mário just got a millionaire transfer, while Adrien and William are key in the Sporting eleven, all of whom are great examples of players who had loan experiences that helped them grow, mentally and technically.
PortuGOAL takes a look at this year’s loanees from the Big Three, how they’re doing and what chances they have of coming back to the club they’re legally contracted to.
This last factor will be evaluated from 1-10, with a 10 rating meaning the player in question is extremely likely to play for his parent club again, and 1 extremely unlikely.
IURI MEDEIROS (Sporting to Boavista)
All of us are more than aware of Iuri’s quality. The winger is extremely goal-oriented with great finishing skills and, when partnered with a complete striker, such as Rafael Martins last season at Moreirense, he can be lethal. After a prolific 2015/16 season, Sporting coach Jorge Jesus gave him multiple chances to prove himself during pre-season. I honestly believed he could grab a spot in the team but he just seemed so affected by the pressure. His decision-making was poor and whenever circumstances were ripe for him to show a moment of brilliance... everything came out wrong. Medeiros is yet to start performing at his usual level for new loan club Boavista and he’ll need to really impress if he wants a second chance with the Lions, even more so with so many other young wingers fighting for a place in the team.
Becoming a Sporting player likelihood rating: 4/10
MOUSSA MAREGA (Porto to Vitoria Guimarães)
Porto’s Malian internet “meme” managed to grow through the jokes and hate, and is now carrying the king on his back while destroying all other castles. With an average of more than a goal per game, Marega is in scary form. For the sake of the story I do hope Marega keeps up this run. That said, it’ll eventually end and I can’t see him adapting to Porto’s style of play. If he has a great season in general, he may have a spot at the Dragão next year, but will he ever be more than an impact sub? I don’t believe so.
Becoming a Porto player likelihood rating: 5/10
DANIEL PODENCE (Sporting to Moreirense)
Despite getting a starting spot in the eleven ever since getting loaned to Moreirense by Sporting, Podence’s performances have been highlighted by his efforts and not so much by his technique. This has a lot to do with the sequence of negative results Pepa’s men are going through. No matter how well the season ends up going for Moreirense, I’m sure Podence will have a couple of shining moments in it. Not only that, but he also impressed Jesus playing behind the striker in pre-season. Getting toughened up this year playing for the little guy will help him enter Sporting’s squad next year.
Becoming a Sporting player likelihood rating: 8/10
HERNANI (Porto to Vitoria Guimarães)
After a good season in Greece with Olympiakos, I thought he would stay at the Dragão but Hernani is yet to get his second chance in blue and white. A return to the “Castelo” saw the winger win a spot on the left side of the attack as soon as he arrived (despite Raphinha’s great early season form). He has shown his quality and will keep doing so, as he strives to get a shot at the FCP squad for 2017/18. If not, he has all the tools to do well away from Portugal again.
Becoming a Porto player likelihood rating: 6/10
ORIOL ROSELL (Sporting to Belenenses)
Sporting bought “Uri” Rosell from Sporting KC always keeping in mind that the midfielder would be a squad player and not a definite starter. Eventually better, younger, more intense DMs appeared in SCP’s squad and I can’t see the Catalonian ever back with the Lions. Even if he keeps his semi-regular presence in the Belenenses eleven.
Becoming a Sporting player likelihood rating: 1/10
JHON MURILLO (Benfica to Tondela)
Jhon Murillo is, just like last year, Tondela’s biggest attacking threat. I’m not saying the Venezuelan stagnated because he is definitely developing but perhaps not quickly enough to be part of Benfica’s main squad any time soon. I hope he can keep playing in Portugal though, as Murillo is fun to watch and has enough in him to be important for a mid-table side (plus Benfica’s overload of wingers doesn’t help).
Becoming a Benfica player likelihood rating: 2/10
TOBIAS FIGUEIREDO (Sporting to Nacional)
I’ve heard people call him “Bruno Alves 2.0” due to his aggressiveness and dominance in the air. Tobias had a few minutes with Sporting last season and in the mind of most SCP fans he is known for his tendency to get red carded. With Nacional he has been constantly starting (even scoring v Benfica) so let’s hope the experience on the island does him good. The quick centre-back has potential but Jesus doesn’t seem to trust him much, and I can’t see him being overly important for Sporting.
Becoming a Sporting player likelihood rating: 5/10
DOMINGOS DUARTE (Sporting to Belenenses)
While not a headline-grabber, this young defender has been a reliable asset who didn’t take long at all to be a consistent starting eleven performer for Belenenses. Provided new coach Quim Machado has as much trust in the 21-year old, Domingos will surely have a solid season and keep improving. I believe it’s between him and Tobias Figueiredo to get a spot in the Sporting squad for next year as the 4th centre-back option. Duarte is ahead in my book simply because he has not yet had the chance to debut in the first team.
Becoming a Sporting player likelihood rating: 6/10
RYAN GAULD (Sporting to Vitória Setubal)
The initial transfer was surrounded by a lot of hype - people attaching “Messi” to a youngster as their nickname isn’t too beneficial - and now Gauld seems to have faded. The Scottish playmaker was great for Sporting’s B team, even when he was slowly converted to more of a “creative 8” last season, and showed his talent in the brief moments of play with the main squad in the league cup. I was personally excited to see him getting loaned out but... Sporting managed to loan him out to a team filled with attacking talent. Gauld is behind Costinha and João Amaral for the No10 role, and Couceiro has been playing with two DMs behind them so that spot is closed too. No injury was reported and he is yet to play. There are lots of question marks around him but I’m still hopeful.
Becoming a Sporting player likelihood rating: 6/10
OSCAR BENÍTEZ (Benfica to Braga)
Panic buy? Perhaps. I’m not sure why Benfica felt the need to spend on this Argentine winger when both Carrillo and Cervi had already signed. Either way, this transfer left Boca fans furious, especially since he isn’t getting playing time in Portugal. Benitez chose to move from Lanus to Lisbon instead of to the massive club in Buenos Aires. He didn't stay long in the capital and was included as part of the deal that brought Rafa Silva to Benfica after an unimpressive pre-season. To make matters worse, Benitez got injured and is yet to play under Peseiro (in another team filled with wingers). Seems like another chapter in the series of “flops” that tend to haunt the big teams in Portugal.
Becoming a Benfica player likelihood rating: 2/10
NUNO SANTOS (Benfica to Vitoria Setubal)
After saying no to the Olympic squad to finish his recovery and have a good start to his season, Nuno Santos is now getting consistent minutes under José Couceiro at Vitória Setúbal. He will try to follow the footsteps of Sporting pair Rúben Semedo and João Mário, both of whom enjoyed strong loan spells at Vitória before returning to grab a first-team place for their parent club. As a winger at Benfica, as discussed above, Nuno has the issue of fierce competition at the Lisbon giants. While not a standout yet, this classic winger (quick, great crosser) is slowly gaining confidence but can he really breakthrough Benfica’s contingent of wide players next season? Or will he follow Hélder Costa and Ivan Cavaleiro’s path of loan moves away from Portugal?
Becoming a Benfica player likelihood rating: 5/10
VICTOR GARCIA (Porto to Nacional)
Another product of Porto’s very competitive B team, Garcia seems more than ready for first team football and is proving that in Madeira. I find it astonishing that Porto decided to keep only one right-back in the team and loan out the Venezuelan. Sure, Layun can play both sides but when Maxi was injured Garcia could have entered the XI while Layun remained on the left. Either way, he has been Nacional’s most consistent performer. Two man-of-the-match performances and a huge average of 5 tackles per game (second best in the league) shows what he is capable of as a modern, complete, full-back. Both Porto and the Venezuelan NT have a gem here, who needs to be in the first team next year.
Becoming a Porto player likelihood rating: 9/10
FRANCISCO GERALDES (Sporting to Moreirense)
Either as a creative central midfielder or as an attacking midfielder, Geraldes has been giving us moments of brilliance for Sporting’s B side for quite a while. Getting some Primeira Liga minutes for Moreirense was the best option for the playmaker this season and his start was magnificent. Statistically, one of the top rated players in the league in the first few matchdays, he - much like Podence - had to turn his David Silva-esque style into a tougher, more ball-chasing one in the midst of his team’s bad run of form. It will make him tougher, more relentless, for sure, but I believe he would prosper in an environment in which he could be himself on the pitch more often. I’m unsure how well he’d fit into Jesus’s system but he has the quality to play at Alvalade.
Becoming a Sporting player likelihood rating: 7/10
JOÃO PALHINHA (Sporting to Belenenses)
If you ask me who have been the best two players in the league this season, excluding attackers, I’ll undoubtedly answer Grimaldo and Palhinha. The DM arrived at the Restelo and has played every single minute of the season. After half a season with Moreirense, Palhinha now controls the midfield with ease with his impeccably timed tackles and perfectly weighted long and short passes highlighting his performances. Consistent, reliable and good in the air, with a goal to his name vs. Vitoria in Guimarães, the 21-year-old has everything to be world class (him and Gelson are the two Portuguese talents who I’m most convinced can reach that high a level). I don’t know if JJ didn’t consider him ready, or if the manager just wanted him to get more game time and not be behind William all season, but I firmly believe this Busquets-esque youngster will be playing in green and white in a year’s time.
Becoming a Sporting player likelihood rating: 9/10
By Tiago Estêvão
