I don’t think Pep Guardiola even knows Man City signed me, says Spain international Pedro Porro
Spain international Pedro Porro has joked he doesn’t think Pep Guardiola even knows Manchester City signed him in 2019.
Porro, 21, was plucked from Girona for around £11m two years ago, but he has spent the subsequent two seasons out on loan.
He returned to La Liga immediately, signing for Valladolid, but it was last season where the Don Benito-born defender rose to significant prominence.
18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet min £5 (max £40) on Sports (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of registration. No cash out. Get your initial stake in Sports Free Bets, which expire in 7 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org. Please gamble responsibly
New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on Football on odds of min 1.5 (1/2), get £50 in Free Bet Builders after the qualifying bet has been settled. Rewards valid for 90 days. Only deposits via cards & Apple Pay will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.
Welcome Offer: New cust only. Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse Racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. T&Cs Apply. Acca Club: T&Cs Apply. Promo runs Mon 09:00 to Sun 23:59. Opt-in required. 50% profit boost on 7+ Acca selections. Max stake £20. Max winnings £1,000. Up to 5 boosts per customer per week. Exclusions apply.18+ GambleAware.org.
Porro was a key part of Ruben Amorim’s backline as Sporting CP ended their 19-year wait for Primeira Liga glory, winning the Portuguese top flight in near-invincible fashion, with Leoes losing just one game, the penultimate match of the campaign against Benfica.
For Porro’s efforts, he was named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year, while the Lisbon-based club also took home the Taca da Liga, and even Luis Enrique recognised his talents across the border, handing the full-back his first Spain cap in March.
Such form at the Estadio Jose Alvalade must surely have caught the attention of his parent club, but Porro insists he has never even had a conversation with Man City manager Guardiola, nor does he think the Catalan coach even knows the Citizens signed him.
“No, I’ve never talked to Pep Guardiola. I don’t think he even knows they hired me (laughs),” Porro told Portuguese publication A Bola.
“But they must be aware of what I’ve been doing.”
“This week there could be something big”
Porro initially signed for Sporting CP on a two-year loan move, but such has been his impact in the Portuguese capital that it is believed the club are trying to accelerate the deal and snap up his services on a permanent transfer this summer.
When quizzed on the possibility of making his temporary stint in Lisbon a permanent one, the 21-year-old defender hinted that “something big” could materialise in the coming days.
He continued: “I can’t say anything, what I can tell you is that next [this] week there could be something big.”
Porro completed the 2020/21 Primeira Liga season having created more chances than any other defender (51), while also attempting the fourth-most take-ons, two attacking metrics that would make the Spaniard an ideal full-back for Guardiola, but it appears his future may lie elsewhere.