Lithuanian winger Mindaugas Grigaravicius has backed new FC Porto signing Terem Moffi to thrive on Portugal’s biggest stage and even surpass the impact of an Arsenal star, footynaija.com reports.
The 26-year-old Moffi has joined the Portuguese giants on loan from OGC Nice, with an option to make the deal permanent for eight million euros, plus performance-related bonuses. For Moffi, it represents a chance to reset after a difficult spell in France, where results dipped and tensions flared following a confrontation between players and supporters.
Terem Moffi in training with Porto after signing on loan from Nice that wasnt nice to him. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/9hYKgRwE3H
— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) February 4, 2026
Those who followed his early years in Europe, however, believe struggle has always been part of his growth story.
Mindaugas Grigaravicius, who played alongside Moffi at FK Riteriai in Lithuania, has described how the striker’s journey began with real doubts before hard work transformed him into a feared goalscorer.
“I lived with him for three weeks in a hotel, while the club looked for apartments for the players. I was the one who took him to training, we went for rides in the car and ate together,” Grigaravicius told O Jogo as per Desporto Minuto.
“He was a shy and quiet boy who didn’t speak at first. He didn’t show his emotions; he seemed like a boy who had come from Africa just chasing his dream of playing football. His first training sessions were terrible.
“We were discussing amongst ourselves what he had come here to do, he couldn’t fit in or play. He was strong and tall, but he seemed weak, he lost every ball.
“After a month, we said he had no chance of staying… But he showed us how wrong we were.
“He had a complicated adaptation… He had to do extra work, and that’s where the progress began.”
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— El RiNcÓn DeL fÚtBoL⚽ (@_RinconDeFutbol) February 4, 2026
Terem Moffi, cedido al FC Porto.
El delantero nigeriano, de 26 años llega en forma de cesión hasta final de temporada procedente del OGC Nice.
El acuerdo incluye una opción de compra de 8M€ + 250.000€ en variables y más un 10% de futura plusvalía. pic.twitter.com/5dhoQG6WgJ
That extra effort paid off spectacularly, as Moffi went on to score 21 goals in 32 matches in 2019, opening the door to top-flight football in France.
Now, Grigaravicius believes Porto could bring out the best in him once again, even suggesting he could outdo Viktor Gyokeres, who shone at Sporting Lisbon before his move to Arsenal.
“He showed passion, power, a lot of strength… he crushed the defenders, he killed them! He started scoring a lot of goals.
“At a big club like FC Porto, there’s no time for adaptation… he will surely be successful.
“In good form, with everyone’s confidence, he has no limits. He could be better than Gyökeres at Sporting.”
Moffi is in line to make his Porto debut in a blockbuster Liga Portugal clash against Sporting Lisbon at the Estádio do Dragão on February 9.
