9 brilliant players who are simply too good to be playing in the Liga Portugal
The Liga Portugal might not be considered one of Europe’s very top leagues, but it’s always been a breeding ground for top talent – from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo back in the day to Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias today.
And the talent factory that is the Portuguese top flight shows no signs of slowing down, with a number of eye-catching players at clubs like Benfica, Sporting and Porto who are surely set to be playing their football at a higher level in the coming years.
We’ve identified nine Liga Portugal stars who are simply too good to be playing their football in the country.
Viktor Gyokeres
The obvious one.
Signed for a club record fee from Coventry after a superb 2022-23 campaign that saw him score 22 and assist 12 in all competitions, there was still an element of risk in spending the money on someone scoring in the Championship.
Someone who hadn’t watched Gyokeres would’ve said that anyway. Inevitably, the Swedish forward thrived on the big stage with Sporting and bagged an astounding 43 goals from 50 games in his first season, along with 15 assists.
Speculation linking him with a move away this summer was inevitable, but Sporting have managed to keep hold of Gyokeres for now – probably something to do with the reported €100million release clause – and it’s paid off.
He’s already managed 27 goals from his first 27 games this season. Outrageous.
Ousmane Diomande
With a profile similar to that of Virgil Van Dijk – quick, strong, comfortable on the ball and excellent passing – Diomande would be a great signing for a host of Premier League clubs.
Capable of being the driving force stepping out of the centremost defensive position to start attacks with the midfielders and wing-backs, the young Ivory Coast international has a big future in elite-level football.
Both Manchester clubs are thought to be sniffing around the 21-year-old, with his pre-existing connection to Ruben Amorim from their Sporting days swinging the pendulum in United’s favour.
Diogo Costa
At €40million, Costa is one of the highest-valued goalkeepers in world football and has already established himself as Portugal’s first-choice between the sticks.
Previously inked with Chelsea and Manchester United, the 25-year-old could demand around €75million (£64.2million) to sanction an exit from Porto.
That would make him the second most expensive goalkeeper of all time, behind Kepa Arrizabalaga. He could be worth it.
Antonio Silva
Silva is another central defender with whom followers of Portuguese football will be all too familiar; the 21-year-old is Benfica’s bright young thing.
Another dynamic centre-back who would be perfect on the right side of a three-man defence, with excellent passing, strength and speed, Silva would fit perfectly into the backlines of countless Premier League clubs.
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Samu Aghehowa
Formerly known as Samu Omorodion, this highly-rated forward almost joined Chelsea last summer before the plug was pulled on a prospective deal with Atletico Madrid.
We all laughed at Todd Boehly at the time, but the 20-year-old joined Porto and has been in devastating form in 2024-25.
Eighteen goals in 21 games, including five in the Europa League, indicates his immense talent and it’s no surprise he’s already been linked with a high-profile transfer to Juventus and Manchester United.
Morten Hjulmand
After Manuel Ugarte left Lisbon for Paris, Hjulmand was signed in the summer of 2023 to bolster Sporting’s options at the base of midfield.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a strong first season in Portugal and made 49 appearances in all competitions as they won the Primeira Liga, prompting interest from Premier League sides over the summer with a respectable Euro 2024 campaign with Denmark also.
Valued at €45million by Transfermarkt, it surely won’t be long before the midfielder moves to one of Europe’s big five leagues.
Geovany Quenda
Both Manchester clubs have reportedly been sniffing around the Portuguese winger after some eye-catching performances with Sporting.
Naturally a winger, the 17-year-old was often deployed as a wing-back in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system at Sporting.
He’s currently under contract until the summer of 2027 and has a release clause of £83million in his deal – highlighting just how highly he’s rated.
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Marcus Edwards
Away from the spotlight of the English media, Edwards – once compared to Lionel Messi by Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham – has quietly developed into a very good player out in Portugal.
There have been plenty of Premier League links over the past few years, including a move to Crystal Palace and a romantic return to Spurs, but a player of Edwards’ ability is too good to be sitting on an English bench.
Goncalo Inacio
Inacio has seen Silva and Diomande grab most of the spotlight when promising centre-backs from the Portuguese league are highlighted.
But the left-footed defender, who has already played over 150 competitive games for the first team since graduating from the academy in 2020, stands out for his composure, passing ability and tactical brain.
Aged just 23, Inacio has inevitably been linked with Manchester United and a reunion with Ruben Amorim. Let’s wait and see.