André Villas-Boas, Porto president, has backed Rodrigo Mora to become a top-level player at Roma following the Portuguese teenager's summer transfer to the Italian club. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Villas-Boas confirmed that Mora left Porto after a lengthy negotiation, with the move driven partly by the player's desire for more playing time amid intense competition at the Portuguese club.
"Rodrigo wanted to leave and there was plenty of competition in the squad," Villas-Boas said. "He is an immense talent who will make the Roma fans happy." The 19-year-old represented a significant investment for Roma, and Villas-Boas expressed confidence he would thrive under the club's structure. "He will find his space and enchant Rome, I'm sure of it. He has personality and uncommon technical qualities and wants to have a great career," the Porto president added. He acknowledged that Mora had been an idol for Porto's supporters and a product of their academy, but the player's limited minutes prompted the club to listen to offers. "Roma was truly decisive in taking him," Villas-Boas confirmed.
On Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini's role in developing Mora, Villas-Boas said: "I think he is a talent technically among the best in circulation and in future, with the tactical work of a master like Gasp, he can become a world-class top player." When asked about physical development, Villas-Boas was pragmatic: "He can't become one metre eighty tall. And if you're talking about muscles, I'd say no—he already has plenty of quality in his feet."
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André Villas-Boas, Porto's president, has publicly backed 19-year-old Rodrigo Mora to become a world-class talent following his summer transfer to Roma. Both outlets confirm that Mora left Porto after limited playing time prompted by intense squad competition, with Villas-Boas describing the player's desire for more minutes as a key driver of the move. Roma made what Villas-Boas characterized as a "decisive" effort to secure the Portuguese teenager, representing a significant investment in his potential.
Villas-Boas expressed strong confidence in Mora's future at the club, telling Corriere dello Sport that the midfielder "will find his space and enchant Rome" and possesses "personality and uncommon technical qualities" alongside genuine ambition for a top career. The Porto president singled out Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini as crucial to Mora's development, suggesting that under the Italian tactician's instruction, the technically gifted youngster "can become a world-class top player." Villas-Boas acknowledged that Mora was an academy product and idol to Porto supporters, but the squad's depth made his exit inevitable. When addressing questions about Mora's physical profile, Villas-Boas was pragmatic, noting the teenager already possesses sufficient quality in his feet regardless of his build.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“André Villas-Boas non ha dubbi sul futuro di Rodrigo Mora. Il presidente del Porto, intervistato dal Corriere dello Sport, ha parlato del talento portoghese passato alla Roma in estate dopo una lunga trattativa. Un addio doloroso per il club lusitano, ma maturato anche per la volontà del giocatore…”
Read the full article in Italian at GialloRossi.net.