Who had Chris Smalling signing for Porto on their bingo cards? There can’t be many, but you know what, we rate it.

From a Fulham hot prospect to a Manchester United stalwart, then being genuinely brilliant for Roma, Smalling’s career has had its highs and lows.

And after two years out in Saudi Arabia – not even at one of the big, state-backed clubs over there – it seemed his career was winding down.

But he’s got a chance back at Champions League level for the first time since his United days by joining Porto on a free.

And it turns out he’s not the only familiar face from years gone by currently contracted in Portugal. Here are some others you might not have realised are still playing there now.

After being named in the Ligue 1 team of the year for two seasons in a row at Lens, it was a shame to see Fofana head off to Saudi Arabia at the relatively young age of 28.

Rennes brought him back to France last January after 18 months in the Middle East, but they sent him on loan to Porto a year later.

The midfielder’s loan was extended into this season as well after he scored three goals from 18 games over the second half of last season, helping Porto win the league.

Bonus points if you’d remembered he used to be on the books at Manchester City.

Lenglet has become a bit of a hot potato in recent years. Barcelona signed him in 2018 with big hopes and got four years out of him before trying to offload him.

There were loan spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa before another with Atletico Madrid, who eventually became the club to sign him permanently.

But just a year later, Lenglet was on the move again. Atleti loaned him out to Benfica in the summer, with the deal covering the whole season.

The defender started Benfica’s first seven games of the season in the league, but got sent off in the most recent one.

Yep, he’s still at it at the age of 40.

The popular former Wolves player went back to his homeland in 2023 to join Braga, where he’s now in his fourth season.

After signing a new contract for this season in the summer, Moutinho has started five league games so far and six in Conference League qualifying.

Hats off to him.

One for the La Liga lovers. Jordan was a two-time Europa League winner with Sevilla in a spell with the club that included over 200 appearances.

But he didn’t start any league games for Sevilla last season after returning from a loan spell at Alaves, only coming on three times.

A new chapter began for the midfielder this summer with a cross-Iberian move to Estrela Amadora.

Another Spaniard now playing in Portugal, Robles had spells with Wigan, Everton and Leeds, making more than 50 Premier League appearances.

Once he left Leeds, the goalkeeper spent a season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Qadsiah before coming back to Europe with Estoril in 2024.

While he was only a backup for Leeds and in and out before that for most of his other clubs, Robles has been a regular starter for Estoril.

When you think of players that won Euro 2016 with Portugal, Silva probably isn’t the first that comes to mind. After all, he only played for one minute at the tournament.

But it was a big summer for him nonetheless, as he went on to earn a move from Braga to Benfica, where he’d stay for eight years.

The winger joined Besiktas in 2024 but returned to Benfica just 18 months later and has already scored five goals in all competitions this season.

There might have been a time when Xeka popped onto your radar, if only as someone not to be confused with Xhaka.

The Portuguese midfielder made his name in Ligue 1, primarily over a long spell with Lille. He played in the Champions League and Europa League for them.

Injuries have affected his later career; he only got to play nine times for Rennes, then never at all for Al Sadd.

He returned to Portugal with Estoril in 2024, some seven and a half years after he last played in his native country. He’s since played 29 times for them.