Porto president reveals Samu Aghehowa was a joint project with Atletico Madrid

Porto president André Villas-Boas has revealed that the club’s prized young forward, Samu Aghehowa, was initially developed through a joint project with Spanish giants Atlético Madrid.

Aghehowa, who has Nigerian heritage, joined Porto last year after a spell in Atlético’s youth setup and has since earned widespread praise for his prolific form and maturity beyond his years.

The teenage striker has been widely regarded as one of the most promising attacking prospects to emerge from Africa in recent seasons.

Speaking to AS, Villas-Boas explained how Porto secured full control of the player’s rights after a shared development arrangement with Atlético.

“We started this Samu project with Atlético. At first, it was 50/50. Now we’ve managed to buy all of his sporting rights,” he said.

“We want him to grow and become what we believe he will be. Joining Porto was the right step for him. The club is also a family, and he felt at home.”

The Porto president also spoke glowingly of the forward’s talent and potential, describing him as one of the most gifted young strikers in the world.

“Samu has a great future and we want to preserve his talent. He’s a super player; despite his young age, Samu is one of the best scorers in the world,” Villas-Boas declared.

Aghehowa’s performances have already attracted attention from several top European clubs, with Porto keen to ensure his development continues in a stable environment.

Villas-Boas confirmed that the club has received multiple approaches for the teenager but remains committed to keeping him at the Estádio do Dragão for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, Villas-Boas also reflected on another major acquisition, the signing of Spanish midfielder Gabri Veiga from Al-Ahly, describing it as a significant coup for the Portuguese side.

“It was a wonderful signing for us. Under normal circumstances, Gabri Veiga would never have joined Porto,” he said, adding that the midfielder’s decision to return to Europe marked “a huge moment for the club.”