In 2019 there were murmurings of fan frustration at Wolves after the club allowed a couple of young Portuguese players leave Molineux.
Joao Dias had not made much of an impression in the Midlands, and so his exit to Famalicao – who had just been promoted to the Portuguese Primeira Liga for the first time since the early 1990s – was not a huge shock, but the fact his compatriot Pedro Goncalves went as well did stir some modest disgruntlement.
Granted, Goncalves – who turned 21 just a few days earlier – had never even been on the senior team's bench for a league game, but many of those who watched the club's Under-23s felt there was sure to be a rotational role, at least, up for grabs.
A report by The Athletic last year claimed Wolves allowed Goncalves to depart for a combination of reasons.
For starters, they were apparently unconvinced – despite his obvious talent – there was a role available for the attacking midfielder, given Nuno Espirito Santo at the time played with a fairly set deep-lying midfield and two wingers.
Additionally, it was reportedly felt a loan might not be in Goncalves' best interests because the possibility of a recall offered him a safety net – instead, he was sold for a small initial figure that would be boosted by percentages of his next two transfers fees.
But ahead of Sporting CP's Champions League last-16 clash with Manchester City on Wednesday, it's difficult to not think Wolves dropped the ball with this one.
The move to Famalicao wasn't as random a destination as it might've looked, however. The club's rise from obscurity was influenced massively by 'super agent' Jorge Mendes, who also has an interest in Wolves and Valencia, where Goncalves – or, Pote – initially played youth football prior to his brief stint in England.
Nevertheless, Goncalves quickly established himself at the Primeira Liga newcomers, the talents that were perhaps undervalued at Wolves coming to the fore. He wasted little time before showing his array of skills, from close ball control and deft throughballs, to clever lurking and instinctive finishing – his very first goal against Pacos Ferreira was a fine example of the latter two traits, as he held his run to create space and that ensured the pressure on him was minimal as he buried a rebound from 12 yards.
This Famalicao side had an emphasis on young players, and that youthful vibrancy helped propel them to a sixth-placed finish – Goncalves more than played his part, scoring five times and setting up another five.
Sporting were on the hunt for a replacement for Bruno Fernandes at the end of 2019-20, having seen their talisman and captain depart for Manchester United a few months earlier. Little could they have known the remarkable – bordering on freakish – campaign Goncalves would go on to have after arriving for roughly €5million.
And more importantly than his individual numbers, Goncalves' efforts helped Sporting achieve something even Fernandes couldn't: becoming Portuguese champions. Their Primeira Liga title success last term was their first since 2001-02, finally ending the dominance of their bitter rivals Porto and Benfica, who had won the previous 18 championships between them.
There's little doubt Goncalves was vital in their conquest.
He led the league's scoring charts with 23, only two of those coming from the spot. But what makes that haul even more incredible is the fact his chances (excluding penalties) were only worth 9.98 expected goals (xG). Of course, such form is hardly sustainable over the long term (we'll come to that later), but Goncalves was lethal on an unrivalled scale.
That gave him an xG overperformance of 11.02 – the next best record in that respect in the Primeira Liga was Toni Martinez, who scored seven times from 2.99 xG.
In fact, no one in the top five leagues got near that kind of efficiency. Marcos Llorente boasted the best record over those competitions (8.59 xG overperformance). Of course, Goncalves was playing in a division regarded as being lower in quality, but it still highlights just how abnormal his season was.
Don't get the idea that Goncalves suddenly became a poacher, though. Only one player (Ivo Rodrigues, four) bettered his three goals from outside the area, and he also remained a creative presence.
Sure, his three assists was hardly gobsmacking, but only Jesus Corona (68) and Ryan Gauld (75) laid on more chances than Pote (51), while his 6.8 expected assists (xA) was also the third-highest – the differential between his assists and xA potentially down to poor finishing by team-mates.
His output of six league goals from 17 games this season effectively proves the unsustainability of his productivity last term, but that's not to say he's playing worse – in fact, in many areas he proving even more threatening.
His non-penalty xG per game is up to 0.43 from 0.33, he is laying on more chances (1.9 up from 1.7) and his xA is also up on a per-90-minute basis (0.27 from 0.22).
He missed the dramatic 2-2 draw with Porto at the weekend through injury but has been back in training since, a massive boost to coach Ruben Amorim.
While even he may not be enough to stop the juggernaut that is Manchester City, his presence will certainly make progression a little less implausible.
Arsenal star Rice a worthy Player of the Season contender, believes Parlour
Declan Rice deserves to be in contention for the Premier League's Player of the Season award and has proven to be the best signing of the campaign, says former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour.
Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham in a £105million deal last July and has had a transformative impact, helping Mikel Arteta's side push Manchester City all the way in the title race.
On Thursday, Rice – alongside Arsenal team-mate Martin Odegaard – was named as one of eight nominees for the Premier League's Player of the Season prize, with the likes of Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and Virgil van Dijk also on the shortlist.
As well as helping Arsenal maintain the Premier League's best defensive record in 2023-24, Rice has carried the ball further than any other player in the competition (7,520m), while only seven players have bettered his 147 carries progressing the ball at least 10 yards upfield.
Parlour says Rice's style reminds him of former Manchester United and England captain Bryan Robson, describing the Gunners man as a true box-to-box midfielder.
Parlour, an ambassador for NetBet, told Stats Perform: "Mark Noble's not too far away from me and I'd always ask, 'Mark, is Declan coming to Arsenal?' He'd always say, 'I don't think you can afford him!'
"I'm so pleased they stumped up the money and he's been brilliant. I never doubted him really because I know his attitude is very good. He wants to learn, he wants to get better.
"I think with [Thomas] Partey coming in as well, he can get forward a little bit more. He's a little bit more dangerous. He's got a good way of passing, he can probably score more goals if I'm being honest.
"The way he plays is like the old-fashioned midfielders. I go back to the older era with people like Bryan Robson, where you'd have to go box-to-box, and he can do that.
"He's got the energy to do that, so I like him to get forward a little bit more, but he's been absolutely superb this year and he's certainly my player of the season."
Defender William Saliba has joined Bukayo Saka in being nominated for Young Player of the Year honours, and Parlour believes the Frenchman is one of several Gunners worthy of recognition.
"There's been a lot of good performances, though. The two centre-backs have stayed fit this year and they've been excellent, Gabriel and Saliba," He added.
"Martin Odegaard has been absolutely brilliant as well, he always wants the ball, his vision is very, very good.
"But I think Declan has certainly stood out as the signing of the season and then probably player of the season for Arsenal."
Ray Parlour was speaking on behalf of NetBet Sports Betting https://sport.netbet.co.uk
Terzic calls on Dortmund to maintain focus ahead of Champions League final
Borussia Dortmund will not go easy on Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday as they look to maintain their rhythm ahead of the Champions League final, says coach Edin Terzic.
Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga with two games remaining, with the performances of German clubs in Europe ensuring that will be enough for Champions League participation next season.
They are also building towards their third appearance in the final of Europe's premier club competition, having overcome Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on aggregate in the last four.
While all eyes will soon turn to their trip to Wembley Stadium to face Real Madrid on June 1, Terzic is determined that his side maintain their intensity levels, even if he rotates his squad.
"Through this rotation we not only keep the team physically and emotionally fresh but we also give chances to other players," Terzic told reporters on Friday.
"Our season just got a bit longer and we want to keep the rhythm up. It is about what we have built up in the past weeks and us wanting to still achieve something big, and that cannot happen with us shifting down a gear.
"We want to make these weeks the best weeks of the season."
Mainz denied Dortmund the Bundesliga title last season, snatching a 2-2 draw against BVB on the final day as Bayern Munich swooped in to retain their crown.
They are now battling against relegation, but Terzic is not thinking of Saturday's game as a chance for payback.
"They did spoil our summer last year, but they did it fair and square. They had a say last season and did it well," he said. "Now we have the chance to have an influence."
Mainz are in 16th place, currently occupying the relegation play-off spot, five points ahead of 17th-placed Cologne.
More importantly for Terzic, the game marks the start of a three-week build-up towards the Champions League final.
"We celebrated our qualification for the final on the night and now we have to deal with the situation pragmatically," he said.
"Now a new preparation starts for the Champions League final with these remaining two Bundesliga matches."
FC Dallas v Austin FC: Estevez frustrated by Texas derby scheduling
FC Dallas boss Nico Estevez would have preferred not to face both of the club's Texas rivals in back-to-back home games, but he is keen to follow up their victory over the Houston Dynamo with another against Austin FC.
Dallas overcame Houston 2-0 on their last home outing in MLS, though they were then beaten 3-1 by in-form Toronto FC on their travels last week.
Estevez's team sit 13th in the Western Conference with eight points, some eight adrift of Austin in sixth, but he feels there are things they can replicate from the Houston game in their next derby match.
"It would be nice for our fans and everyone if the games were a little bit more spread out, right?" he said on Thursday.
"When you have back-to-back, I feel like it is difficult to get that assignment and motivation and everything right, but for us, it is important.
"Austin uses more of the wings and it's a different type of approach. They defend in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-2-2, which is similar."
Austin, meanwhile, have won four of their last six MLS games (one draw, one loss) to surge up the standings, leaving boss Josh Wolff encouraged ahead of a busy few weeks.
"There's no way we can look past one opponent and towards the next," Wolff said.
"We have to see who comes through Dallas in a good way and see where we're at physically and where the opponent is at physically.
"These guys are fit, they're strong and they're in a good space."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Dallas – Sam Junqua
Junqua has recorded a goal contribution in consecutive matches (one goal, one assist), including scoring Dallas’ lone goal at Toronto last Saturday.
Junqua had only recorded two goal contributions in his previous 35 MLS appearances going back to August 2022.
Austin FC – Brad Stuver
Austin’s goalless draw at Vancouver on Saturday was their third consecutive clean sheet, their longest shutout streak in team history. Stuver started in goal in all three games and will be looking to continue that run against Dallas.
Austin had kept just one clean sheet in their previous 25 matches in all competitions dating back to last July.
MATCH PREDICTION – DALLAS WIN
FC Dallas won each of their first three meetings with Austin FC – all in the 2021 season. Since then, Dallas have managed just two wins in seven against Austin (two draws, three losses), including a 2-1 loss at Q2 Stadium on March 30.
With eight points, Dallas are off to their second-worst 10-match start to a season in club history with only their start in 2009 (six points from 10 matches) being worse. However, seven of their eight points have come in their five home matches.
Meanwhile, Austin have collected 13 points in their last six MLS matches after totalling just 10 points in their previous 16 league matches dating back to their return from the Leagues Cup last August. The form book often goes out of the window on derby day, however, so their positive run could end here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Dallas – 46.4%
Draw – 28.2%
Austin – 25.4%
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