On Monday we covered Southampton’s almost obsessive recent scouting of Portuguese football matches. Window shopping in Portugal is something many English clubs do, especially ahead of the transfer window, but Claude Puel’s spies were everywhere.
That they watched Porto against Braga over the weekend was understandable, two clubs with good level players. Watching Rio Ave beat Tondela 3-1 and Vitória Guimarães draw with Chaves wasn’t quite so exciting. It’d be a struggle to find Premier League ready players in those games.
Things are a little brighter after Tuesday, with Southampton having a spy watch the Champions League match between Benfica and Napoli. Southampton watch Benfica probably more than they do any other Portuguese club, which is a relief.
It’s much more exciting to think of the Saints trying to snatch away a Benfica talent than it is to think they’ve looking at a Tondela player.
Portuguese newspaper A Bola cover the scouting list, with Southampton joined by several other Premier League clubs, but they don’t give a hint as to who the club were watching.
The match finished 2-1 to Napoli, the star performer for the Portuguese team was their goalkeeper Ederson and for the Italians Lorenzo Insigne and Jose Callejon stood out.
