Porto's 10 biggest sales of all time

Cameron Smith

• 31 Oct 2024 15:30 GMT
• 5 min read

FC Porto are one of the most successful clubs in Portugal and some of the world’s most talented players have been developed by the club.

However, with the riches of many teams across Europe, Porto have been forced to sell their best players over the past decade.

Below, FootballTransfers lists Porto's 10 biggest sales ever.

10. Andre Silva - €38m (to AC Milan, 2017)

Andre Silva scored 16 league goals during his first full season in Porto’s first-team and this prompted AC Milan to complete a €38 million deal in July 2017.

Fernando Torres had departed the previous summer and Silva was seen as the next great Milan striker.

However, things didn’t go as planned and after 10 goals and two loan spells away from the club, Silva was sold to Eintracht Frankfurt for just €3m in 2020.

9. Fabio Silva - €40m (to Wolves, 2020)

Fabio Silva had made just 21 senior appearances for Porto, scoring three goals, when Wolves decided to spend a ridiculous €40m on him in 2020.

He had started just one league goal for the club, but Silva earned a big-money move to the Premier League at only 18 years old.

8. Hulk - €40m (to Zenit, 2012)

Givanildo Vieira de Souza, known as Hulk, was given his famous nickname by his father and it simply stuck in the football world.

His bizarre senior career began in Japan and he was picked up by Porto after scoring 45 goals in just 56 games for Tokyo Verdy. Hulk became a fan favourite in Portugal and he was heavily linked with a number of top European clubs during his time at the club.

Chelsea had even agreed a deal to sign him in 2012, but Hulk ended up at Zenit instead. A €56m move to China followed in 2016, before Hulk returned to his homeland of Brazil in 2021.

7. Radamel Falcao - €40m (to Atletico Madrid, 2011)

Radamel Falcao became a cult hero during his two-year stint at Porto, scoring an incredible 72 goals in just 87 appearances for the club, including the winner in the 2011 Europa League final.

Atletico Madrid soon pounced and Falcao continued his immaculate form during his time in the Spanish capital, netting 70 times in 91 games for the club.

He joined Monaco in 2013 and despite poor loan spells at Manchester United and Chelsea, Falcao was reliably prolific once again during his time in Ligue 1.

6. Vitinha - €41.5m (to PSG, 2022)

Vitinha joined Porto’s youth system at the age of 11 and he progressed through the ranks before making his first-team debut against Gil Vicente in January 2020.

An ill-fated loan spell at Wolves followed, with Vitinha making just 22 appearances in all competitions (eight starts) and the Molineux outfit subsequently declined the option to make the deal permanent for €20m.

However, he soon established himself as a key player upon returning to Porto and he sealed a move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain in 2022 after a sublime final season in Portugal.

5. James Rodriguez - €45m (to Monaco, 2013)

James Rodriguez joined Porto from Argentine side Banfield in 2010 and he spent three years in Portugal, racking up 74 goal contributions in 108 appearances for the club.

His form during his final season attracted interest from free-spending AS Monaco, who paid €45m to sign him in 2013.

Rodriguez lasted just one year at the club, however, with his performances at the 2014 World Cup prompting Real Madrid to purchase him for a whopping €75m.

4. Eliaquim Mangala - €45m (to Man City, 2014)

Manchester City spent big during the early years of Sheikh Mansour’s ownership, but Eliaquim Mangala somehow became the club’s all-time record signing upon his arrival for €45m in 2014.

The Frenchman had impressed Man City’s scouts during his time at Porto and they opted to bring him to the Etihad Stadium for an eye-watering fee following Joleon Lescott’s departure.

However, Mangala never quite lived up to expectations and, after loan spells at Valencia and Everton, he left on a free transfer in 2019.

3. Eder Militao - €50m (to Real Madrid, 2019)

In 2019, Sergio Ramos was on the decline and Real Madrid were aware they needed to sign their next great centre-back.

Los Blancos identified Eder Militao as the ideal candidate and he soon joined the club for €50m after a stellar debut campaign at Porto.

The Brazilian defender only spent one year in Portugal, but he earned Porto a tidy €43m profit, while he finally established himself as first-choice following the departures of Ramos and Raphael Varane in 2021.

2. Luis Diaz - €50m (to Liverpool, 2022)

Luis Diaz also left Porto for €50m, with the Colombia winger securing a transfer to Premier League giants Liverpool in January 2022.

Diaz had spent the previous two-and-a-half years at Porto, but Liverpool acted quickly to acquire his services after he notched 19 goal contributions in 18 league games during the first half of the 2021-22 Primeira Liga campaign.

He won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup during his first six months at Anfield.

1. Otavio - €60m (to Al-Nassr, 2023)

Otavio usurped Diaz in August 2023 when he sealed a €60 million move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr.

The Brazilian-born Portuguese attacker spent nine years at Porto, racking up nearly 300 appearances for the club and contributing over 100 goals and assists.

Otavio won nine trophies during his time at Porto, while he was named as the Portuguese top flight’s Player of the Year during his final season before moving to Saudi Arabia.

The 10 biggest Porto sales of all time