Jordao makes loan move

Midfielder Bruno Jordao has joined Portuguese side CD Santa Clara on a season-long loan for the 2022/23 campaign.

The midfielder, who signed for Wolves in 2019, spent the second part of last season on loan at Grasshopper Club Zurich and now returns to Portugal in a bid for more game time.

The 23-year-old has five Wolves appearances to his name, with his most recent coming against Sheffield United in the Emirates FA Cup back in January.

The Blades tie represented his return from a year on the sidelines, after injury cut-short a 2020 loan spell at Famalicao, where he’d continued his development.

Now Jordao joins Santa Clara, who finished seventh in the Portuguese top flight last time out and begin the new Primeira Liga campaign against Boavista on the weekend.

Strategic player marketing manager Matt Jackson said: “When the coaching staff assess their squad, some boys won’t be around the first-team, and Bruno has fallen into that category. He’s going back to prove himself in an environment he should be comfortable in. He just needs play a whole lot of football in the first part of the season.

“He’s a great professional and has a superb attitude for the game, but it can be tough on players at times, they don’t necessarily deserve the bad luck they get, but it can be quickly turned around and that’s exactly what we’ll be hoping for from Bruno.

“Him going to Portugal takes the risk out of the move. He’s going back to an environment he’s comfortable in, so from that perspective it’s an easy decision, but the football has to be right, and this is a good challenge.”

Jordao found opportunities hard to come by while in Switzerland, and now Jackson has called on him to take influence from Renat Dadashov, who flourished in Portugal last season, in the same league Jordao will compete in.

“Bruno fitted into the group really well at Grasshoppers, and worked hard, but every player wants regular game time, and he didn’t get that, so that’s what he has to aim for now.

“He’s heading to a great side. It’s a great league, as we know from Dadashov’s progress, and hopefully Bruno can look at what he did, because that’s reflected in how well he’s started for Grasshoppers this year. It proves there’s a pathway for them, but it’s about getting in the team and staying there.

“They always have a chance. You only need to play ten games in a spell, and you’ll get attention, whether it’s your own first-team or another club. That’s what’s needed and Bruno can quickly get his career back on track.”