Tottenham Hotspur were among the clubs with scouts at the Estádio do Dragão on Wednesday. FC Porto beat Benfica 1-0 and reached the semi-finals of the Taça de Portugal. The visit was reported by A Bola, which listed Spurs alongside Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Brentford.
From a Tottenham perspective, Samu Aghehowa remained a clear reference point. The striker did not shine in front of goal. He failed to register a shot and misplaced several passes. Still, his physical work stood out. Aghehowa won a high number of duels, protected the ball well and linked play. He helped Porto push higher up the pitch.
Spurs’ scouts, however, had more to assess. If Tottenham are looking for a progressive and creative midfielder, Gabri Veiga once again made his case. The Spaniard showed intensity and quality throughout the match. He provided the assist for the winning goal and found space behind Benfica’s defence on several occasions.
There was also focus at the other end of the pitch. With uncertainty around the goalkeeper position in north London, Diogo Costa offered another reminder of his level. He produced a crucial save before half-time and looked composed whenever tested.
Out wide, both teams delivered flashes of quality. For Porto, Borja Sainz brought aggression, energy and a constant eye for goal. For Benfica, Gianluca Prestianni added unpredictability and direct running, even if the final touch was missing.
Adding to that, solid contributions from hard-working midfielder Pablo Rosario and young centre-back Tomás Araújo completed a night of strong individual battles.
Tottenham have eye towards FC Porto
Tottenham have sent transfer officials to Porto on multiple occasions in recent months. In October, they watched them draw 0-0 against Benfica in the league, and then in November Spurs were at the 3-0 victory over Nice in the Europa League.
On both occasions, Samu was pushed out as the likely target.
Spurs are one of the Premier League clubs who scout Portuguese matches regularly. Judging from recent months, it would appear their plan revolves around someone at FC Porto.
