LISBON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese Football Association announced on the evening of the 29th that it will recruit Nerson Semedo, a right-back for Wolves, to replace the newly injured Ricardo Pereira.
The 27-year-old Pereira moved from Porto to Leicester City in 2018 for €22 million and was named the best in the team in the 2018-19 season. In Leicester City's 2-1 away win over Norwich City in the Premier League on the 28th, the starting Pereira assisted Vardy's goal in the 8th minute, but then went off with an injury in the 11th minute. He also missed the 2020 European Championships due to injury (postponed to 2021).
Semedo, also 27, moved from Benfica to Barcelona in 2017 for a transfer fee of 35 million euros, helping the team win two La Liga titles in three years. Wolves spent €30 million on the Portuguese right-back in the 2020 Premier League. In the Premier League that just ended on the 29th, Semedo started and played the whole game, but the team lost to Manchester United 0:1. At this summer's European Championships, Semedo played three group matches as a mainstay.
Portugal, which have won 2 wins and drawn 1 draw in the group stage of the World Cup European Qualifiers, will face Ireland at home on 1 September. It is worth mentioning that Portugal captain C Ronaldo, who has been confirmed to join Manchester United, has returned to Lisbon early and will head to Manchester after the end of the national team match. (End)