SigningLab · Annual Report

Signing Accuracy — Primeira Liga 2025/26

Published on January 12, 2026

Executive Summary

265
Real signings
240
Evaluated
34%
Clubs' average hit rate
41
Successful
134
Unsuccessful

In total we identified 265 real signings by the clubs of Primeira Liga in the 2025/26 season — academy promotions, loan returns, internal moves and transfers that never went through are excluded. Of these, 240 are included in the hit-rate calculation; 25 are youth investments (under-23 with no game time), classified separately. Signings without relevant minutes in the season count as unsuccessful.

League Analysis

Champions FC Porto posted a hit rate of 85% on signings (13 evaluated), holding 1st place in the accuracy ranking. The bottom four in the table had an average hit rate of 13% on signings — below the league average (34%), highlighting the link between recruitment quality and sporting performance.

FC Porto leads the accuracy ranking with 85% and Torreense closes the list with 0%. p. over the clubs' decisions).

Club Ranking

ClubLeague positionSigningsEvaluatedSuccessfulFairUnsuccessfulHit rate %SigningLab*
1FC Porto15131102
85%
85%
2Benfica109612
72%
78%
3SC Braga88512
69%
88%
4Sporting CP118431
69%
62%
5Estoril10º118161
50%
100%
6Alverca11º2521489
38%
95%
7Famalicao44031
38%
75%
8Moreirense1010145
30%
90%
9GIL Vicente1312237
29%
83%
10Arouca119135
28%
89%
11Tondela17º28261916
21%
92%
12Santa Clara12º18151410
20%
93%
13Estrela16º21212415
19%
90%
14Casa Pia15º1514059
18%
100%
15Rio Ave13º14131210
15%
85%
16Nacional14º1111038
14%
73%
17AVS18º23231418
13%
74%
18Guimaraes88026
12%
88%
19Torreense19º97007
0%
100%

* SigningLab: hit rate of SigningLab’s verdicts (recommend or not recommend) on each club’s evaluated signings, projected at the time of signing.

The difference between Signings and Evaluated are youth investments (under-23 with no game time in the season), classified separately. Signings without relevant minutes are unsuccessful (Did not deliver).

Season Highlights

The ten signings with the greatest technical impact of the season, according to the Player Impact Score (PIS).

PlayerClubPosMinG+AAvg ratingRatingSigningLab
Luis EstevesGIL VicenteM27704+87.03Excellent
Luis Javier Suárez Sporting CPF269728+67.42Excellent
Alberto CostaFC PortoD22311+86.56Excellent
Gabri VeigaFC PortoM16223+86.68Excellent
Sidny Lopes CabralEstrelaM13245+37.30Excellent
Sidny Lopes CabralBenficaM3561+25.16Excellent
LincolnAlvercaM23732+57.08Excellent
Richard RiosBenficaM22795+47.09Excellent
Seko FofanaFC PortoM2953+05.91Excellent
Jan BednarekFC PortoD26902+07.38Excellent

Methodology

Club assessment — the universe of signings

The report considers exclusively genuine signings for the first-team squad, identified by the player's effective incorporation into the group between seasons. Excluded from the universe are: academy promotions, loan returns, internal administrative moves and transfers recorded but never completed. The aim is to measure the quality of market decisions — and those alone.

Player Impact Score (PIS)

Each evaluated signing receives a score from 0 to 100 that combines four observable technical dimensions: individual performance (average match ratings over the season), output (goals, assists and decisive actions adjusted for game time), collective performance (starting status and correlation with the club's results) and availability (volume of matches, adjusted for interruptions). High-impact players with reduced game time are promoted through an alternative efficiency criterion.

Outcome classification

The rating tiers are: Excellent and Good (successful signings — a full point in the index), Fair (intermediate performance — half a point) and Below expectations / Did not deliver (unsuccessful signings). Two categories sit outside the calculation, for distinct reasons: Injury (a serious injury prevented a fair assessment) and Investment (an under-23 player with low game time — the return depends on development and cannot be counted for or against the club in this cycle). Signings that did not reach relevant game time in the season are classified as unsuccessful, reflecting the sporting cost of the decision.

A note on scope

This is SigningLab's public, simplified model, developed for transparent retrospective market assessment. SigningLab's commercial solutions for partner clubs use a substantially larger set of variables and dedicated predictive mechanisms, and are not fully reflected in this document.

Appendix — Signings by club

* Youth investment (under-23, no game time in the season) — outside the hit-rate calculation.

AVS (23 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Tomane29202441Fair
Pedro Lima28189842Fair
Leonardo Rivas30153401Below expectations
Adriel17144001Excellent
Paulo Vitor24142100Below expectations
Roni16131720Fair
Diego Duarte30130331Below expectations
Óscar Perea28125720Below expectations
Mateus Pivô14114900Fair
Ángel Algobia25108710Did not deliver
Diogo Spencer16100612Below expectations
Guilherme Neiva2993223Below expectations
Carlos Ponck2192800Below expectations
Ruben Semedo1378200Below expectations
Rafael Barbosa1364812Below expectations
Sidi Bane958810Did not deliver
João Pedro Oliveira Gonçalves1654000Below expectations
Guillem Molina1034300Did not deliver
Bruno Lourenco1123300Did not deliver
Andre Green720700Did not deliver
Jordi Escobar816900Did not deliver
Kobamelo Kodisang512500Did not deliver
Pedro Trigueira81300Did not deliver

Alverca (25 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Kaiky Naves32283520Good
Nabil Touaizi33282615Fair
Sergi Gómez31248400Fair
Lincoln30237325Excellent
Figueiredo27188662Good
Amorim19163020Fair
Marko Milovanović31153692Fair
Francisco Chissumba19152300Fair
Chiquinho20149224Good
Sandro Lima31142752Fair
Sabit Abdulai19117601Below expectations
Rhaldney1499310Fair
Matheus Mendes3181000Fair
Julián Jose Martinez1967100Did not deliver
Gonçalo Esteves *1117310Investment
Mathis Clairicia *1313600Investment
Tiago Leite1713300Did not deliver
Fabrício Andrade910210Did not deliver
Gian Cabezas *85300Investment
Stéphane Diarra73000Did not deliver
Diogo Martins8800Did not deliver
Mateus Oliveira11000Did not deliver
Talisca *1000Investment
André Paulo1000Did not deliver
Reinaldo0000Did not deliver

Arouca (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Näis Djouahra34274363Fair
Hyun-ju Lee30206873Below expectations
Barbero33191482Below expectations
Espen van Ee29189221Fair
Bas Kuipers17135212Excellent
Javi Sánchez15122701Fair
Arnau Solà1359101Did not deliver
Omar Fayed1255800Below expectations
Mateo Flores1220800Below expectations
Jesús Santiago *103800Investment
Fally Mayulu *83000Investment

Benfica (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Richard Rios27227954Excellent
Amar Dedić26191114Good
Enzo Barrenechea30180610Good
Georgiy Sudakov29142041Fair
Franjo Ivanović3388661Good
Dodi Lukebakio1974503Good
Sidny Lopes Cabral1135612Excellent
Rafael Obrador *116800Investment
Henrique Pereira0000Did not deliver
Rafael Rodrigues0000Did not deliver

Casa Pia (15 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
David Sousa28244520Fair
Sebastián Pérez30167200Fair
Abdu Conte23144502Below expectations
Dailon Rocha Livramento30106001Did not deliver
Lawrence Ofori1479910Below expectations
Joao Marques1671411Fair
Tiago Morais2968200Did not deliver
Kaique Rocha1849710Fair
Kelian Nsona1748411Did not deliver
Kevin Prieto2547501Did not deliver
Yassin Oukili1046200Fair
Claudio Mendes1928710Did not deliver
Xander Severina910300Did not deliver
Ivan Mandić *16000Investment
Rodrigo Nascimento1000Did not deliver

Estoril (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Ricard Sánchez26198224Fair
Ferro31163420Fair
Antef Tsoungui25138500Fair
Pizzi3465505Good
Nodar Lominadze2964420Fair
Patrick de Paula1340810Fair
Martin Turk3127000Fair
Peixinho2521010Did not deliver
Khayon Edwards *91100Investment
Bernardo Lourenço *1000Investment
Luís Gomes *8000Investment

Estrela (21 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Renan Ribeiro33297000Fair
Luan Patrick33268500Fair
Abraham Marcus31257455Excellent
Bernardo Schappo27206200Fair
Ianis Stoica34168232Below expectations
Jefferson Encada27154902Below expectations
Sidny Lopes Cabral15132453Excellent
Atanas Chernev17102400Did not deliver
Robinho2795201Below expectations
Bruno Langa1189500Fair
Oumar Ngom1183501Below expectations
Stefan Leković1078320Below expectations
Jorge Meireles3175802Below expectations
Sydney van Hooijdonk1235611Below expectations
Leandro Antonetti2233500Did not deliver
Alan Godoy730000Did not deliver
Ryan615200Did not deliver
Billal Brahimi58800Did not deliver
João Resende21800Did not deliver
Gonzalo Calçada11200Did not deliver
Diogo Pinto13000Did not deliver

FC Porto (15 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Victor Froholdt34287566Excellent
Jan Bednarek32269020Excellent
Alberto Costa31223118Excellent
Jakub Kiwior28221701Excellent
Gabri Veiga32162238Excellent
Borja Sainz32160353Good
Pablo Rosario30136421Good
Thiago Silva1357600Good
Seko Fofana1429530Excellent
Luuk de Jong526310Good
Igoboras Moffi Teremas1425011Good
Dominik Prpić *2618000Investment
João Costa21800Did not deliver
Yann Karamoh41800Did not deliver
Pedro Lima *1000Investment

Famalicao (4 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Pedro Santos3471823Fair
Antoine Joujou3159431Fair
Gustavo Garcia3358300Fair
Marcos Pena3337700Below expectations

GIL Vicente (13 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Luis Esteves33277048Excellent
Ghislain Konan30266100Good
Gustavo Varela32152363Fair
Zé Carlos33119800Below expectations
Agustín Moreira26103321Below expectations
Joelson Mendes27102213Fair
Hevertton Santos3388701Below expectations
Daniel Figueira3484000Below expectations
Lucão1672000Did not deliver
Martin Fernández3171211Did not deliver
Héctor Hernández1135121Fair
Weverson52600Did not deliver
Bassco Soyer *1000Investment

Guimaraes (8 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Rodrigo Abascal30227912Fair
Juan Castillo34135000Fair
Thiago Balieiro20117510Did not deliver
Miguel Nóbrega26100010Below expectations
Alioune Ndoye2695521Did not deliver
Orest Lebedenko3047200Did not deliver
Fabio Blanco2340200Did not deliver
Paulo Vitor31500Did not deliver

Moreirense (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Diogo Travassos29243653Good
Mateja Stjepanović33241210Below expectations
Kiko Bondoso31202204Fair
André Ferreira32198001Fair
Kiko33186210Fair
Rodrigo Alonso27149733Fair
Luís Semedo2598930Did not deliver
Álvaro Martínez2481900Did not deliver
Nile John1467101Did not deliver
Vasco Sousa946210Did not deliver

Nacional (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jesús Ramírez332892180Fair
Kaique32252000Fair
Liziero28234004Fair
Pablo Ruan2487300Did not deliver
Gabriel Veron1483110Below expectations
Filipe Miguel Barros Soares1876510Did not deliver
Lenny Vallier2175500Did not deliver
Daniel Jr2175301Below expectations
Joel Silva2941400Did not deliver
Lucas João3229901Below expectations
Motez Nourani718300Did not deliver

Rio Ave (14 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jakub Brabec30215010Fair
Dario Špikić32179923Below expectations
Tamás Nikitscher30141211Below expectations
Nikolaos Athanasiou18131301Fair
Diogo Bezerra17126512Below expectations
Jalen Blesa14107770Excellent
Ennio Van Der Gouw1490000Below expectations
Georgios Liavas3481001Did not deliver
Tamble Monteiro1367601Did not deliver
Ryan Guilherme1343200Below expectations
Kevin Chamorro2127000Did not deliver
Marc Gual1318000Did not deliver
Leonardo Buta *52800Investment
Alfonso Pastor6000Did not deliver

SC Braga (8 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Gustaf Lagerbielke28239220Good
Pau Víctor332269104Good
Leonardo Lelo34184404Good
Florian Grillitsch24112911Good
Gabriel Moscardo3096000Below expectations
Demir Ege Tıknaz1447501Good
Adrian Leon Barišić645200Fair
Alaa Bellaarouch15000Did not deliver

Santa Clara (18 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Paulo Victor29136610Fair
Brenner31121501Did not deliver
Guilherme Romão1289001Good
Welinton1868412Fair
Gonçalo Paciência1350730Fair
Elias Manoel2430030Fair
Luquinhas1222400Below expectations
Pedro Pacheco1119500Did not deliver
Andrey *414500Investment
Anthony Carter712901Did not deliver
Darlan1410600Did not deliver
Edney Henrique14500Did not deliver
Henrique Pereira2000Did not deliver
Neneca *27000Investment
Douglas Borel0000Did not deliver
Davis Silva0000Did not deliver
Cristian0000Did not deliver
Thauan Lara *0000Investment

Sporting CP (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Luis Javier Suárez 322697286Excellent
Giorgos Vagiannidis33129004Good
Ricardo Mangas2787521Good
Luis Guilherme1363410Fair
Giorgi Kochorashvili2761601Fair
Fotis Ioannidis1346430Fair
Alisson Santos2022802Good
João Virgínia3418000Did not deliver
Souleymane Faye *109500Investment
Rômulo *11400Investment
Diogo Travassos *2000Investment

Tondela (28 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Christian Marques33272100Fair
Maranhão33247062Fair
Brayan Medina28220401Fair
Bebeto31190530Good
Tiago Manso33155711Fair
Joe Hodge29147611Below expectations
Emmanuel Maviram22146522Below expectations
Rodrigo Conceição20143610Fair
Jordan Siebatcheu25125510Did not deliver
Cicero21121111Fair
Makan Aïko18106312Below expectations
Rony Lopes20104942Fair
João Silva1499610Fair
Ivan Cavaleiro1385220Fair
João Afonso3362400Below expectations
Hélder Tavares3360200Did not deliver
Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka1252500Did not deliver
Yarlen1345800Did not deliver
Miro428200Did not deliver
Arjen Van Der Heide1425500Did not deliver
Rémy Vita1022700Did not deliver
Xabi Huarte813400Did not deliver
Afonso Rodrigues *812600Investment
Moudja Sie Ouattara *411600Investment
André Ceitil109600Did not deliver
Rick11100Did not deliver
Lucas Cañizares25000Did not deliver
Gabriel Souza9000Did not deliver

Torreense (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Musa Drammeh218000Did not deliver
Lucas Paes218000Did not deliver
Guilherme Liberato216600Did not deliver
Brian Agbor2000Did not deliver
Mateusz Kowalski0000Did not deliver
Gustavo Ramalho *0000Investment
Chumbinho *0000Investment
Aboubacar Ali Abdallah0000Did not deliver
Thiago da Silva0000Did not deliver