Jorge Mendes busy with business in England

We are deep into yet another transfer window, with Jorge Mendes once again heavily involved in several potential dealings over the remainder of the month.

Having already overseen the move that took Gedson Fernandes from Benfica to Tottenham Hotspur on an 18-month loan, further business is expected to be concluded involving Portuguese players over the next two weeks.

One player who Jorge Mendes is helping navigate a move to English shores in Bruno Fernandes. Not the agent of the Sporting talisman, Mendes is still at the forefront of negotiations, looking to finalise a transfer saga that has been simmering since the 2019 summer transfer window.

There is wide expectation that the move will be completed by the end of the month, Sporting looking to sell in order to restore financial stability, while Manchester United are openly interested in the 25-year old Portuguese international as they look to bolster their squad for the second half of the season.

The two clubs are yet to reach an accord - little progress has been made over recent days regarding his departure, both clubs showing few signs of willing to budge on their stance regarding the transfer figure.

There is then the case of Benfica’s Joao Filipe - Jota. The 20-year old forward has seen little game time this campaign, a year that was widely expected to be his break-out season, and the young star is keen to move out on loan this window - for the remainder of the season, and beyond.

The Portugal youth international, who has been linked with a range of European heavyweights since his sensational efforts in leading Portugal to the U19 European Championship in 2018, is understood to be disappointed with his lack of game time this season, and is seeking a move in order to continue his progression.

Benfica are open to the possibility of letting Jota leave the club on a temporary basis, and like the player would prefer that he is loaned to an English club. Playing time is believed to be the priority for both parties, though a Premier League club which can assure him of that would also be ideal.

Benfica are cautious of the fact that Jota still hasn’t signed a new contract with the club. After months of discussions, Jota still remains on a small contract, earning just 50,000 euros per annum, and has a release clause of just 30 million euros.

The Lisbon club have been pushing for him to sign a new contract, which would see his salary increase ten-fold and his release clause increased to 88 million euros. Until that happens, Benfica are cautious about utilising one of their biggest prospects, very much aware of the fact that if he impresses, he could be sold on for well below his current valuation.

Jorge Mendes, however, is still active in the market with regards to Jota, assessing potential options for Jota should Benfica remain open to the idea of letting the youngster leave on an 18 month loan, as Gedson did last week.

And Jorge Mendes also has business to attend to with the other member of the “Big Three” in Portuguese football, with FC Porto willing to sell Ze Luis this month for a fee in the region of 20 million euros.

Although not his agent, Mendes had been trying to facilitate a move for the striker, with Jose Mourinho’s Spurs interested in taking in the Cape Verdean international on a short-term deal, looking to loan him until the end of the season in the absence of Harry Kane.

But Porto, upon becoming aware of the interest from clubs to buy the player outright, decided to try and sell their in-form 28-year old instead, looking to cash in on the striker while they still can.

Sevilla are one club that are interested in bringing in the player, while he has also been offered to other English Premier League clubs in addition to Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolverhampton Wanderers seen as a possible destination for the former Spartak Moscow forward, who Porto only signed in the summer from the Russian club for 9 million euros.

However, Woves’ attention has very much changed to the Greek market, with Jorge Mendes central to negotiations involving Olympiakos’ Daniel Podence move to the club, the diminutive winger expected to join the club imminently for a fee in the region of 28 million euros.

Mendes is also overseeing the move of Nelson Oliveira from the Greek capital to Wolverhampton, for a fee of approximately 6 million euros.

Ze Luis. Photo author: Елена Рыбакова. License link.