Back page The Primeira Liga, like many others across Europe, have a handful of talents that could be on the move in the near future. One example of this is Luis Díaz who has excelled at Liverpool after a few years in Portugal.
Teams including FC Porto, Sporting Lisbon, Benfica and S.C Braga have some young, exciting prospects that could be on the move to the Premier League. But who could be on the move from the Primeira Liga this summer and which top-flight team could they join?
The man that is wanted by Europe’s elite after having an impeccable season at The Estádio da Luz, Darwin Núñez. Last season, the Uruguayan netted 26 goals in 28 Primeira Liga games and he is currently among some of the hottest prospects in European football.
Núñez plays on the wings, as well as a striker, with his preferred position is leading the line. The 22-year-old is very good with the ball at his feet and Núñez is very clinical, as shown by the number of goals he has accumulated this season.
Benfica’s stance is very clear this summer; they will only sell their star asset if a club pays the fee that they demand which is thought to be around £100 million as Manchester United are interested, according to The United Transfer Room. Like Benfica did with João Félix in 2019, the Eagles will hold out for as much money as possible as Núñez still has three years left on his current contract.
Despite only joining the club in January, former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards has excelled in Portugal since his move to Sporting Lisbon earlier this year. The Englishman left North London in 2019 and joined Vitória de Guimarães where in his first season at the club, Edwards scored against Arsenal in the Europa League group stage. His impressive performances for Vitória de Guimarães caught the eye of Sporting Lisbon who paid around £6.5 million for his services.
At 23-years-old, Edwards is a fantastic dribbler and his favoured position is on the right-hand side of the attack. Also, the former Norwich City loanee can play in the attacking midfield position as well as the left-winger role, but he is most effective in his favoured position of the right-wing.
It is very unlikely Edwards will be sold this summer, but if he consistently performs well under Rúben Amorim next season, a move could be on the cards sooner rather than later. His current market value, as per Transfermarkt, is £13.5 million, the highest amount in his career so far, and a few more successful seasons in Portugal could coincide with a return to England.
Lastly, Porto’s midfield maestro Vitinha has excelled in North Portugal since his unsuccessful loan spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2020/21 season. The Portugal international featured heavily for Porto in his first full season of regular first-team football and he was sensational last campaign; his passing and dribbling caught the eye.
As well as passing and dribbling, Vitinha is additionally great at long shots and dead-ball situations. He can play as a defensive midfielder but the 22-year-old can play further up the pitch in attacking midfielder roles. Despite not having a vast number of goal contributions per 90, Vitinha would likely add goals to his game if he wasn’t playing in deeper roles, and his performances last season earned him a call up to the Portugal National Team.
Similar to Edwards, Vitinha may not depart imminently because he has only played consistently at the Estádio do Dragão for one season. If he is to carry on his performances for Porto, who knows, a move to a table-topping Premier League side could be on the horizon.
In conclusion, Portugal has a host of talented players that have the potential to be superstars in the future. The three names that I have informed you about could have brilliant careers ahead of them and in particular, Núñez who could be involved in a big-money move this summer. But out of these three names, who would be the best fit in the Premier League?
