Motor Lublin are considering a move for Portuguese attacker Rony Lopes as the Polish top-flight club look to strengthen their squad following a slow start to the new season.
According to Polish newspaper Dziennik Wschodni, the 30-year-old Portuguese player could join the Lublin-based team as a free agent. Lopes has been without a club since July, when his contract with Portuguese side Tondela expired.
During his spell at Tondela last season, Lopes played under manager Goncalo Feio. Despite their efforts, the club was unable to maintain its place in the top division of Portuguese football and suffered relegation.
Lopes is known for his versatility across the attacking line. At Tondela, he was frequently deployed as a central striker, but he can also operate on either wing or play as an attacking midfielder.
Motor Lublin manager Mariusz Misiura recently addressed the team's squad needs at a press briefing, with his comments reported by transfery.info. Misiura explained that the club wants to make continuous progress through training and by completing two new signings. He noted that the squad needs increased competition and the ability to maintain high intensity for a full 90 minutes in key attacking positions, specifically mentioning the central striker role, the right wing, and the offensive central midfield position.
If Misiura decides to use Lopes as a winger, the Portuguese player will face competition for a starting berth. Motor Lublin's current wide options include Mbaye Jacques Ndiaye, Makan Aiko, Kamil Lukoszek, Fabio Ronaldo, and Florian Haxha.
Career background and transfer history
Lopes boasts an extensive career profile with high-profile European clubs. He has previously represented Portuguese giants SL Benfica, English Premier League side Manchester City, French Ligue 1 teams OSC Lille, AS Monaco, OGC Nice, and Troyes, Spanish La Liga outfit Sevilla, and Greek club Olympiacos Piraeus.
His most notable transfer occurred in August 2019, when he moved from Monaco to Sevilla for 25 million euros. Lopes has also earned two senior international caps for Portugal, making his most recent appearance for his country in a 1-1 draw against Croatia in September 2018.
Motor Lublin are not the only team to show interest in the Portuguese free agent. Israeli news portal sport5.co.il previously reported that Lopes was on the wishlist of Israeli club Maccabi Haifa. In 2022, Polish side Legia Warsaw also considered signing Lopes as a replacement for Luquinhas, though that potential move failed to materialize.
Season start and transfer activity
The potential arrival of Lopes comes amidst a challenging start to the Ekstraklasa campaign for Motor Lublin. The team from eastern Poland has collected just five points from their opening six matches of the season.
Motor Lublin's sole league victory under Misiura came on August 16, when they secured a 1-0 win over GKS Katowice. The sluggish start has sparked media speculation regarding the manager's future at the club.
The club has already signed eight new players during the current transfer window, including Bartosz Bereszynski, Mateusz Legowski, and Romanian goalkeeper Mihai Popa. However, club management is continuing its efforts to bolster the squad before the deadline.
