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€90m Arsenal target receives bizarre criticism: He CRIES too much!
Tom Weber
- 24 Jan 2026 20:29 GMT
- 5 min read
News
Arsenal and Chelsea target Samu Aghehowa has been criticised for "crying too much" after he missed a penalty for Porto.
The Spain international is likely to be one of the protagonists of the the summer, courtesy of his exploits in Portugal. Samu has scored 19 goals in 28 appearances across all competitions so far this term.
The 21-year-old was previously close to joining Chelsea in the summer of 2024, but the deal collapsed at the final hurdle, and he ended up moving to Porto instead, where he is scoring at a better rate than a goal every other game.
Current ETV
Samu Aghehowa
F (C)
Porto
Samu Aghehowa
F (C)
Porto
ETV Range
€63.7M - €77.9M
Chelsea have continued to track the former Atletico Madrid youngster, while Arsenal and Tottenham have also been linked with him in recent months. He wouldn't come cheap, though, as he has a €100 million release clause.
It has been suggested that Porto could accept a slightly lower fee in the region of €90m, but he will be expensive either way. Journalist Sergio Krithina recently told The Transfers Podcast that he fully expects Samu to be one of Portugal's next big-money exports.
Samu criticised for being too emotional
However, the young striker has now come in for a bit of bizarre criticism in the Portuguese press. Samu was visibly emotional after Porto's Europa League draw with Viktoria Plzen, having missed a penalty. He also cried after Porto's shock fourth-round exit from the Taca de Portugal last term.
Recalling his lengthy and ultimately unsuccessful Chelsea transfer saga, Samu admitted in 2024 that he "cried a lot at night." While such openness and vulnerability is usually refreshing in footballers, A Bola editor Hugo Vasconcelos believes it is a bit too much.
"Some people like it because it's a sign of concern for the team, for teammates, for the result. I don't like it," Vasconcelos wrote. "I think it’s a terrible sign for a player to cry at the end of a match, especially if he didn’t lose a final, or if it’s not the last game of the season and he knows he’s leaving.
“I prefer those who react with anger, who kick the locker room door or curse anyone who approaches. It has the same meaning of caring about failure but shows more willingness to react. Tears don't do any good. They aren’t a problem in themselves, but they foreshadow some emotional instability, some difficulty in dealing with adversity.”
While the criticism is perhaps over the top, Vasconcelos may have a point because even head coach Francesco Farioli has urged Samu to "stay calm" when dealing with negative experiences.
"He will score many goals for many years, but there will be times when things don't go well, and I believe he has the ability to turn the page," he said after the Plzen game. "I've already told him to stay calm and learn from this negative experience."
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