Crystal Palace have six players out on loan at the moment, and all of them fall under the age of 23. They are spending time elsewhere to gain valuable first-team opportunities, but Matheus Franca has struggled to impress.
Franca joined Brazilian outfit Vasco de Gama on loan last summer after lacking game time at Selhurst Park. He made 19 appearances last season, posting one goal and two assists for the Eagles.
The 21-year-old has endured recurring injury issues that have halted his development. He joined the South Londoners as an exciting teenage prospect from Flamengo in a £17m deal back in August 2023.
Matheus Franca loan watch
Franca was expected to become a regular starter at Vasco but that hasn’t been the case. While he dealt with an adductor issue when starting the season at Palace, he’s been handed limited minutes when available for the Brazilian club this term.
The attacking midfielder has appeared just twice across competitions, amounting to 67 minutes worth of game time. He failed to win over Fernando Diniz’s coaching team at the Estádio São Januário, but he might have a chance to reclaim a place in the Vasco team.
Renato Gaucho has just replaced Diniz as the club’s new manager, and he was the man who gave Franca a proper run in Flamengo’s senior team during his teenage years. He might now have a chance to prove his worth under a coach who knows him well from his early development.
| Matheus Franca (Vasco de Gama loan) | Statistic |
| Appearances: | 21 |
| Minutes played: | 467′ |
| Goals: | 0 |
| Assists: | 0 |
Brazilian outlet Globo reports that Vasco’s higher-ups have wanted more from Franca in terms of performance. They expected him to be a starter when signing him on loan but his struggles in his homeland have been a concern.
Franca has just over two years left on his contract with Palace and is set to return to Selhurst Park in June. There is no buy option included in the loan deal, and it doesn’t look likely that he will stay with Vasco beyond this season.
Hodgson told Palace they ‘found a gem’
Franca caught the eye in his debut season with Palace, which came back in 2023-24 under Roy Hodgson. He was slowly being bedded into the Eagles’ first team at the time, but there were signs he could be a success.
Hodgson saw the potential in the Brazilian when he came off the bench in a 2-2 draw against Manchester City in December 2023. The club’s former manager spoke highly (via Gazeta do Urubu):
“He’s getting better and better. Now we’ll have a player who will be very useful for the team. He’s always been a skillful player, he was a real find.”
Unfortunately, Franca failed to kick on and suffered a fractured rib that ended his season in March 2024. That saw him sit out most of Oliver Glasner’s debut campaign, but he did make nine appearances under the Austrian, posting one goal and two assists.
