Crystal Palace’s Brazilian loanee Matheus França is back in the spotlight at home. Globo Esporte has published an overview of how his spell at Vasco da Gama is going so far.

The 21-year-old joined the Rio club in the last transfer window but is still waiting for his first start. He has played six matches and accumulated just 118 minutes on the pitch. Among Vasco’s recent signings, he is the only one yet to feature from the start.

According to the Brazilian outlet, the club considers this a normal stage of adaptation. França arrived without full match fitness and is working on his physical condition. During the current international break, he has been training intensely to improve sharpness and fight for a more prominent role.

At Crystal Palace, his progress was interrupted by a series of injuries (five in total) including groin and rib issues. He never managed to build rhythm, and his last run of four consecutive games came back in January 2024.

Vasco’s technical staff and board are handling the situation with patience. Manager Fernando Diniz, along with president Pedrinho and sporting director Felipe, were all involved in bringing him in. They still believe he can become...