Vasco da Gama have officially unveiled Matheus França as their newest signing earlier this week, but the Crystal Palace loanee is still waiting to make his debut in Brazil.
The 21-year-old was left out of the 1-1 draw against Botafogo in the Copa do Brasil, with coach Fernando Diniz addressing the situation in his post-match press conference.
Diniz didn’t hold back when talking about the qualities that convinced him to push for the signing. “He is a player I like a lot. I faced him a few times in 2023, when he was a starter under Vítor Pereira,” the manager explained, recalling his battles with França back in the Flamengo days, when he played under the Wolverhampton head coach.
The coach also underlined just how versatile the midfielder-forward can be. “He is very dynamic, he can play in several roles in attack, even as an 8. He is versatile,” he added. That kind of adaptability is seen as a big plus for Diniz’s tactical plans, especially as he tries to add more options in the final third.
According to local reports, Vasco’s medical and fitness staff were impressed with França’s condition when he arrived, despite the injuries that limited his minutes at Palace.
The youngster is already registered with the Brazilian FA and has been involved in training sessions, but Diniz made it clear that his physical readiness isn’t quite at the level needed for an immediate debut.
For now, the expectation is that França will be eased into action. Once he builds rhythm and adapts to the squad, he’s tipped to become a key figure for Vasco’s attack as the season moves forward.
