Name Francisco Junior Career start 2006 2007–2012 Benfica Weight 65 kg | Number 22 Height 1.73 m Role Footballer | |
 | ||
Full name Francisco Santos da Silva Junior Date of birth (1992-01-18) 18 January 1992 (age 23) Current team Wigan Athletic F.C. (#22 / Midfielder) | ||
Place of birth Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Playing position | ||
Community jonjoe kenny and francisco junior at wigan youth zone football camp
Francisco Santos da Silva Júnior (born 18 January 1992), commonly known as Francisco Júnior, is a Bissau-Guinean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Tippeligaen club Strømsgodset and the Guinea-Bissau national football team. He has also represented Portugal internationally at under-19 and under-21 level.
Contents
- Community jonjoe kenny and francisco junior at wigan youth zone football camp
- Early career
- Everton
- Strmsgodset
- International career
- References
Originally from Guinea-Bissau, he was signed by Portuguese side Benfica whilst with Benfica de Bissau in 2007. He signed with English club Everton in February 2012, who loaned him out to Vitesse Arnhem (Holland), Strømsgodset (Norway), Port Vale, and Wigan Athletic. He joined Strømsgodset on a free transfer in February 2016.
Early career
Júnior started his club career in Bissau with Sport Bissau e Benfica in Guinea-Bissau at youth level, he was spotted by talent scouts from F.C. Porto and Sporting Clube de Portugal but soon transferred to Benfica. His professional career began with Benfica in 2008, and he was contracted to the club until 2013 as there was a clause in the contract that automatically converted Júnior's youth contract into a professional contract.
Júnior was loaned to U.D. Leiria in 2011 but never showed up to play for Leiria, and it was found that the player had been training with Manchester City unbeknownst to Benfica. Benfica's president Luís Filipe Vieira told Manchester City to return the player to Benfica and sent the English club a plane ticket for Júnior's return. Vieira also threatened to report Manchester City to FIFA. In July 2011, Manchester-based media reported that Júnior was on trial with Manchester City, playing with their Development XI team in a friendly against Altrincham. Guinea-Bissauan sports agent Catió Balde and Anglo-Iranian lawyer Kia Joorabchian intervened and Manchester City were forced to release the player. Manchester City compensated Benfica with €1.5million.
Everton
In February 2012, Júnior signed professional terms with Everton having signed on a free transfer. In an interview with Guinea-Bissauan website Bola na Bantaba, Júnior stated that he signed for Everton because he "was tired of the impasse between Benfica and Manchester City and businessmen who wanted to win more than they should". He made his debut for the "Toffees" under David Moyes in a 1–0 League Cup defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road; he was taken off for Phil Neville at half-time.
On 1 September 2013, Júnior signed with Dutch Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem, in a season-long loan deal. This loan deal was later cancelled due to a knee injury, and a new five-month loan deal with Norwegian Tippeliga side Strømsgodset was signed in February 2014. The loan deal was later extended by one month, and expired in August.
In December 2014 he began training with Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic under Ronny Deila, his former manager at Strømsgodset. On 26 March 2015, Júnior joined League One side Port Vale on loan until the end of the 2014–15 season. "Valiants" manager Rob Page said that "I'd like to thank Roberto Martínez for his co-operation with getting this deal over the line."
He returned to League One with newly relegated Wigan Athletic after joining on an initial one-month loan in July 2015. He made his debut for the "Latics" on 8 August in a 2–0 defeat to Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena. His loan was extended until 16 January after being described as a "revelation" by manager Gary Caldwell. However he was forced to return to Everton in December for treatment on a long-standing groin problem.
Strømsgodset
In February 2016, he signed a two-year contract with Norwegian Tippeligaen club Strømsgodset. He scored one goal in 24 appearances in the 2016 season, as the club posted an eighth place finish.
International career
Júnior was called up for Portugal under-19 team in January 2011 for the four-team round-robin friendly La Manga tournament. His debut came against Slovakia, having replaced Rúben Pinto in the 73rd minute. He came on as a substitute in the 55th minute in the game against Norway and he helped Portugal retain their title, starting in the 3–1 win over Sweden in the tournament's final game. After leaving Benfica he rejected the chance to join the Portuguese under-20 team and told Guinea-Bissaun media in June 2012 that he wants to represent Guinea-Bissau. He was called up by the Guinea-Bissau national team in February 2012 to face Cameroon in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, but did not receive notification in time. In October 2012, he played for Portugal's under 21 side in a friendly against Ukraine.
He was selected by Baciro Candé in the Guinea-Bissau squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. He made his debut on the opening match of the tournament, in a 1–1 draw with hosts Gabon on 14 January 2017.