Rodrigo Mora’s lawyer warns the player ‘is sad and suffering’ that FC Porto won’t give the all clear for his transfer to Roma. ‘He wants to play and realised he’s a third choice for Francesco Farioli.’
The negotiations between the two clubs had seemingly reached a breakthrough on Tuesday evening, on loan for €7-10m with an option to buy for a further €40-43m at the end of the season.
PORTO, PORTUGAL – DECEMBER 12: Rodrigo Mora of FC Porto in action during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between FC Porto and FC Midtjylland at Estadio do Dragao on December 12, 2024 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
That would become an obligation if certain conditions were met, and this is where it all ground to a halt, because the clubs have fundamentally different ideas on what should activate that clause.
Mora stuck between Porto and Roma
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JUNE 19: Rodrigo Mora #89 of FC Porto warms up prior to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group A match between Internacional CF Miami and FC Porto at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 19, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Porto want it to be practically a certainty with European qualification, whereas Roma would prefer to tie this to Champions League entry or even the Scudetto.
Talks have been at a complete standstill for days and nobody seems prepared to budge.
“Rodrigo Mora is not part of Farioli’s ideas, and this represents a problem, especially for a player who is 18-19 years old and still growing,” lawyer Luis Miguel Henrique told CMTV in Portugal.
“Football is not just a profession for him, but it’s also his life and his joy. The Rodrigo I saw was sad and suffering. He wants to fight for his place, but he also wants to play.
“He has realised that he’s a third choice for Farioli.”
There were reports that Galatasaray had come back into the race for Rodrigo Mora, but the teenager seems to have his heart set on Roma.