Defensive reinforcement

FC Porto reached an agreement on Wednesday to sign veteran central defender Chris Smalling on a free transfer. The 36-year-old English player arrived in the city of Porto to undergo medical examinations prior to signing a contract valid until the end of the current season. Smalling was unattached after his two-year contract with Saudi side Al Fayha expired in June 2026. The signing provides immediate defensive depth for head coach Francesco Farioli following fitness problems in the squad's back line. Smalling becomes only the second English footballer to play for FC Porto, following Norman Hall in the early decades of the twentieth century.

Squad injuries prompt market move

The recruitment of a free agent follows physical setbacks for Argentine centre-back Nehuén Pérez. Pérez returned to competition in August after a prolonged layoff and completed 90 minutes against Manchester City on 8 September. He subsequently suffered a severe right thigh muscle injury that kept him in the medical department for two weeks, conducting only conditioned training on Wednesday. Porto opted for an immediate short-term addition, adopting a strategy similar to the signing of Brazilian defender Thiago Silva in early 2026. Farioli's options in central defence also include Jan Bednarek, Jakub Kiwior, and Dominik Prpic.

Veteran career across Europe and Saudi Arabia

Smalling began his senior career with Maidstone United, Millwall, and Fulham before spending nine seasons at Manchester United between 2010 and 2019. At Old Trafford, he captained the side and won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups, three English Super Cups, and the Europa League. In 2019, he moved to AS Roma on loan before the Italian club purchased his rights for 15 million euros. Across his stints in England and Italy, Smalling made 187 appearances under manager José Mourinho, winning the Europa Conference League in Rome. He earned 31 caps for England, playing at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, before making 67 appearances for Al Fayha between 2024 and 2026.

Defensive planning and Polish core

Speaking at the European Club Association meeting in Copenhagen, Porto president André Villas-Boas outlined the club's defensive recruitment approach. Villas-Boas detailed how signing Bednarek from Southampton led to securing Kiwior from Arsenal on deadline day a year earlier, creating a coordinated central defensive pair. He noted the development of young attacker Oskar Pietuszewski while acknowledging that financial limits ruled out any summer move for Robert Lewandowski. Villas-Boas confirmed Porto also tracked Bartosz Mazurek before the talent chose Red Bull Salzburg.

“We are very pleased to have built this group of Poles. It is a very interesting case for us. All three have fully delivered, proving to be great professionals in terms of career commitment, discipline, and a winning mentality. For this reason, we continue to monitor the Polish market and look for new talent. I do not hide that we followed the development of Bartosz Mazurek very closely and were interested in him. However, he ended up signing for Red Bull Salzburg. He has enormous talent and we will continue to pay attention to his progress.”