Sunderland spent big following their return to the Premier League this summer

FC Porto president André Villas-Boas has claimed that it is “alarming” that his side are having to compete with the likes of Sunderland and Burnley in the transfer market these days, instead of other perceived European giants like Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Both the Black Cats and their newly promoted peers enjoyed highly productive summer transfer windows, with Regis Le Bris’ side in particular bringing in 14 new faces and spending in excess of £150 million.

And while supporters have been left impressed by the scope of the club’s recent recruitment drive, Villas-Boas has suggested that the ability of Premier League newcomers to flex their financial might to such an eye-catching extent reflects a worrying indictment of the state of the Portuguese game.

What did FC Porto president André Villas-Boas say about Sunderland and Burnley?

Speaking at the Portugal Football Summit, as quoted by O Jogo, the former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur said: "The fact that it's becoming increasingly difficult to sign players has a lot to do with the costs involved. FC Porto has made significant purchases that require high salaries, and this has a direct impact on our accounts. This is a gamble we made, a very significant investment. We had to restructure the club's entire finances. We had to sell heavily in January and June of last year to gain the financial cushion that allowed us to attack the market.

“It's becoming more difficult to sign players because FC Porto, instead of competing for players with Valencia, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, or Marseille, competes with Burnley, Sunderland, and Bologna. Fifty percent of the clubs in UEFA are already multi-club owners, with ease of transferring players within their club chain, large revenues, and investment capacity thanks to owners with the financial capacity to allow for this type of investment.

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“We have increasing competition, and the structures of the big clubs, Real Madrid, [Manchester] City, and Barca, are already signing 16, 17, or 18-year-olds who previously would have come to Portuguese football. Vinicius, Endrick, and Estevao are signed by Chelsea and Real Madrid, instead of FC Porto and Benfica, because they can no longer compete.

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“This entire transformation is alarming and demands strong responses. We are open to having these positive discussions, but when there is emptiness and ineffectiveness at Presidents' Summits where no one speaks... The president of FC Porto speaks and is confronted with parallel issues in Portuguese football and clubs that refuse to invest in VAR technology, cameras mounted on lampposts, and a substandard product... We waste time and make no progress.”

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