Porto hopeful of Hulk stay

Porto president Pinto da Costa remains hopeful that Chelsea target Hulk will not leave the club in January.

The Brazil international has been strongly linked with a transfer to Chelsea, with the English Premier League giants looking to add to their attacking options following Nicolas Anelka’s departure to Shanghai Shenhua.

Hulk’s agent has fuelled the rumours by claiming his client holds the wish of reuniting with coach Andre Villas-Boas, after the pair enjoyed a successful 2010/11 season at Liga Sagres outfit Porto.

The 100 million-euro release clause attached to Hulk’s contract is likely to deter many interested parties, but Pinto da Costa does not believe it will be enough to prevent the striker from leaving.

“I hope that no-one meets Hulk’s buy-out clause, but I would not be surprised if someone pays 100 million euros some day,” he told Jornal de Noticias.

“I would like, however, that no-one paid that figure.”

Hulk, who has a contract with Porto until the end of the 2015/16 season, revealed on Saturday that he could leave the Estadio do Dragao, where he has played since 2008.