This summer may well see another exodus of talent from the Dragao, with some of the continent’s big boys already weighing up offers

By Rupert Fryer

Porto are the success story of football’s modern era of globalisation, utilising their position in what is one of Europe’s lesser leagues to become the ultimate middle man. Their extensive network of scouts leave no rock unturned in the pursuit of the next Deco or Radamel Falcao. On paper, their ploy is simple: get them in early, get as much out of them as you can, and then flip them to one of the continent’s bigger boys who are interested only in the finished article.

Last season the club netted around €65 million shipping the likes of Alvaro Pereira, Hulk and Fredy Guarin, all of whom were acquired for comparatively modest fees. This summer that trend will probably continue, and so as the 2004 Champions League winners prepare to take on Malaga on Tuesday, Goal.com takes a closer look at some of those who will be in the shop window come the end of the current campaign.

Bear in mind, the percentage chance of each player below leaving is likely to increase closer to June.

JACKSON MARTINEZ | STRIKER, 26

One-time Liverpool target Martinez was brought in from Mexican club Jaguares this past summer and immediately hit the ground running, celebrating his debut with a last minute winner against Academica in the Portuguese Super Cup. The Colombia international now leads the Primeira Liga scoring charts with 20 goals, seven more than second-placed Oscar Cardozo, and has already attracted huge interest from abroad.

Operating as a lone striker, he has shown his ability to lead the line since arriving in Porto and has improved with his back to goal. He has certainly displayed his knack of finding space in the penalty area, and can finish equally well both with his feet and his head. His general approach play is something he still may need to work on, however, especially if he is to cement a place in the Colombia setup alongside another Porto success story, Falcao.

Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old but Atletico Madrid are the front-runners for his signature come the summer as they seek to replace Falcao, though it won’t be easy to negotiate Porto down from his €40m buy-out clause.

JAMES RODRIGUEZ | Attacking Midfielder, 21

James (that’s pronounced ‘Ham-ez’ – something of which he’ll be quick to remind you should you make the mistake of uttering an Anglophone elocution) arrived from Banfield after starring as a 17-year-old in Julio Falcioni’s 2009 Argentine Apertura-winning side.

The 21-year-old has already shown huge progress since landing in Portugal and has become an integral part of his national team following the appointment of Jose Pekerman, leading to former Colombia great Carlos Valderrama to name the Porto star as his natural successor for los Cafeteros.

Originally a left winger, he has matured into a central playmaker, where he has flourished with a new found freedom for Colombia, and can also operate from the right, cutting inside to utilise a left foot every bit as powerful as it is intricate.

And Porto may be ready to cash-in, having recently purchased 35% of his registration back from a third party investor. Manchester United have long been linked with a move for Rodriguez but won’t be doing business at his buy-out clause of €45m, especially following the signing of Wilfred Zaha.

JOAO MOUTINHO | Midfielder, 26

The Portugal international’s career looked to be on its way to stalling before he swapped Lisbon for Porto almost three years ago, but he quickly realised his potential under former coach Andres Villas-Boas, becoming the fulcrum of the 2011 treble winning side.

Having risen through the ranks of Sporting as more of a traditional No.10, he has since developed into a box-to-box midfielder and has been the driving force behind Porto’s recent success, adding a tenacity to a range of passing that has seen him rack up an impressive number of assists at the Dragao.
 
The 26-year-old very nearly reunited with his former coach in north London this season, but the deal that would take him to Tottenham collapsed following an objection from a third-part investor and a last minute increase on the fee demanded by his current club.

Spurs remain very interested in the midfielder, however, and Champions League qualification for the Premier League club will likely see them reignite their interest this summer.

NICOLAS OTAMENDI | Defender, 25

The Argentine was hung out to dry when Diego Maradona took him to the World Cup and deployed him out of position at right-back in 2010, but he has since recovered from that disappointment to establish himself as one the finest central defenders outside of Europe’s better-known leagues.

The 25-year-old is yet to break into Alejandro Sabella’s Argentina set-up, despite the dearth of options in the position available to the Albiceleste, and a move to one of the continent’s more visible clubs may help in that regard.

He has grown both physically and tactically since leaving Velez Sarsfield following his trip to South Africa. Strong both on the ground and in the air, his reading of the game has significantly improved, though he may be disappointed he has not been as productive as he would like in front of goal from set pieces.

There has been reported interest from Anzhi in recent months, though a move to Russia would do little to help him get back into the national setup prior to the World Cup in 2014.

FERNANDO | Defensive Midfielder, 25

The Brazilian midfielder handed in a transfer request last year amidst reported interest from a number of Italian clubs, but his €30m price tag quickly served to scare off all interested parties.

The combative defensive midfielder was picked up from Vila Nova in Goias as a youngster way back in 2007 and the last couple of years has seen Porto’s faith rewarded as the 25-year-old has progressed into a stalwart at the base of their midfield.

Strong and athletic, he offers tremendous protection to his back four and will once again turn the heads of some of Europe’s big boys this summer, though the Portuguese giants are unlikely to budge on his asking price, which should ensure he sticks around for at least another season.

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The Brazilian believes the Reds’ dominant victory over the Swans is the perfect preparation for their Europa League tie, as they attempt to comeback from a two-goal deficit

Lucas Leiva believes Liverpool’s five-goal demolition of Swansea will give them confidence ahead of their Europa League second-leg clash with Zenit St Petersburg.

The Reds’ inconsistent form, including back-to-back losses to West Brom and Zenit, have given way to poor performances, but the Brazilian believes the result on Sunday was the best way to bounce back.

“We started the week thinking it could be a really good week for us,” Lucas told reporters.

“But we had the defeat to West Brom and then the Europa League loss, but we have finished the week off in a positive way by scoring five goals and keeping a clean sheet.

“We know we still have to improve a lot but this victory will give us confidence going into Thursday to try to get through against Zenit.

“With the way we played over there, we created a lot of chances, if we do that again and take them then we’ll have a great chance of getting through to the next stage.

“But we also have to defend well on Thursday because if we concede an away goal it will be very difficult for us.

“We have to make sure we go with a positive and offensive mentality but knowing that if we concede it’s going to be very hard.”

The defensive midfielder, who has recently recovered from injury, believes the club can finish the season on a positive note if they can turn in consistent performances.

“It’s difficult to explain. As players you get frustrated a lot of times as well,” added Lucas.

“When you think we are starting to get some good momentum we have a defeat and a setback.

“But there is still time to get that consistency. Our league position is not great [seventh, with nine points off the top four having played one match more] but we must keep fighting and see what happens.

“If we can get that consistency then we can finish this season on a high.”

The Reds boss has revealed that he is hopeful that the veteran will take up a coaching position at the club after he retires from playing at the end of the current season

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is hopeful that Jamie Carragher will have a future role to play at the club after he retires at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old confirmed earlier this month that he will bring his playing career to an end when his contract expires and ex-Liverpool stars Ian Rush and Steve Nicol have both called on the club to offer a coaching role to the defender, who is also considering a career as a media pundit.

Rodgers expects Carragher to take some time out from the game after his retirement, but hopes that he is eventually able to bring him back to Liverpool.

“I’ve had regular conversations with Jamie since I came in last summer,” Rodgers told TalkSPORT. “He’s a guy who’s put his heart, soul, and life into Liverpool. As one of the local players, there’s even more pressure on him.

“He’s been outstanding this season, even when he hasn’t been playing. As a manager it’s a real privilege to work with someone like that because he’s very committed, has got old-school values and ethics, and really respects me and my decisions.

“He works very hard to prove that he’s still good enough to be in the team. Even at 35, he’s still one of the best pure defenders in the Premier League.

“He hasn’t totally made up his mind what he’s doing yet. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had a small amount of time away but, over time, I’m sure he’ll have a role here at the football club.

“But at the moment we’re only concentrating on his playing, and his playing has been top class.”

Carragher joined the Liverpool youth team in 1990 and went on to sign his first professional contract in 1996. Since making his debut in January 1997, he has gone on to make more than 700 appearances for the club.