Andre Villas-Boas has made a big call. He decided that 18-year-old talent Rodrigo Mora will stay with FC Porto. This means a planned move to Al Ittihad is now off. Mora, a creative midfielder, will wear the blue and white jersey for the 2025/26 season. Record has learned all the details behind this twist.
The "Dragons" leader was very impressed. Mora started in a key "clássico" match and showed incredible spirit. Even after he was taken off, the young rising star from the club’s academy enthusiastically celebrated the victory against Sporting. This positive energy spread through the whole team. Insiders at the club felt Mora had rediscovered his special "light." This attitude really caught the eye of FC Porto’s top brass. They were already quite unhappy with how the Arab club, Al Ittihad, had been acting. Mora’s passion made the decision even easier.
With things looking this way, the club’s board had another reason to keep Mora. Coach Francesco Farioli strongly believes Mora will grow and succeed within the team’s current playing style. So, Villas-Boas quickly moved to shut down the deal. He made sure Mora’s agent, Jorge Mendes, and Al Ittihad understood it was over.
Al Ittihad made some offers, but they never felt serious. Record knows that only an initial offer of €50 million reached Villas-Boas officially. Later, through Jorge Mendes, a promise of €63 million upfront plus future payments to reach €70 million was floated. However, this bigger offer was never put down on official paper. FC Porto’s position was strong. Mora’s contract protects them with a €70 million release clause. But this clause can only be activated between May 30 and July 15.
If Al Ittihad tried to force Mora out now, the price would jump by 50%. That means it would cost a massive €105 million. On top of that, Mora himself would face a large tax bill on such a transfer fee. Because of these strong protections, Mora, who wears jersey number 86, is no longer on the transfer market. The window for other clubs closed this Monday. Even the Saudi Arabian registration deadline on September 10 won’t change things for him.
This decision means the "Porto magician" can finally live a dream. He will play at least one full season for the team he loves. Mora’s heart led the way, and the club listened.