Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace midfielder Matheus França has already been handed what looked like a lifeline at Vasco da Gama.
The arrival of Renato Gaúcho, a coach who knows him well since his youth days, suggested a possible reset. However, nothing has really changed.
Vasco are actually enjoying a strong run. The team are unbeaten in four matches and recently beat Grêmio at São Januário, showing clear improvement under the new manager. Yet França remains on the outside of that momentum.
Chance comes – but impact doesn’t follow
Matheus França returned to action last weekend after almost two months without playing. His previous appearance had come back in January.
Renato Gaúcho gave the Crystal Palace man minutes again, but only late in the match and from the bench. The performance did little to shift perception. Brazilian reports describe another quiet display, with no real impact on the game.
On social media, a fan exclaimed: “Matheus França can never again step onto the pitch wearing a Vasco shirt. The team died when he came on.”
That fits the broader pattern. França has struggled for relevance throughout the loan, and even the managerial change has not altered his role. He remains a fringe option, used sparingly and without influence.
Renato himself kept the door open publicly. After the match, he said he would rotate and give chances to all players, including França.
“I have a group and I will use the players. I have been seeing the players in training. Today it was with Matheus França. I have 24 outfield players and I always tell them: it’s the player who gets picked. Everyone will have an opportunity. It’s important to be ready for the moment you are called upon”, he said.
However, the club president’s recent comments suggests otherwise.
President’s comments point to clear direction
The clearest signal may have come away from the pitch. On Tuesday in Brazil, Vasco president Pedrinho spoke about players currently on loan and the club’s intention to purchase them if possible.
He named several players the club want to keep, including Robert Renan, Carlos Cuesta and even Nottingham Forest’s Cuiabano. However, Crystal Palace’s Matheus França was notably absent from that list.
That omission stands out. Even though his contractdoes not have a purchase option, França was not mentioned among those seen as part of the club’s future.
What happens next
With only a few months left on the deal, the situation now looks increasingly clear. The arrival of Renato Gaúcho offered a final opportunity to change the narrative. So far, it has not materialised.
Instead, França remains a peripheral figure in a team that is improving without him. He played only 22 minutes in the last two months. Brazilian media continue to treat his spell as one that never really took off, and the signs from within the club suggest there is little expectation that it will turn around.
The loan was meant to rebuild confidence and form. As things stand, it has done neither, and the player appears set to return to Crystal Palace without having altered the trajectory of his development.
🇮🇹 Juan Cabal | Crystal Palace initiate contact
🔁 Versatile Juventus player
📉 Likely available relatively cheaply
🩺 Be careful with that medical…https://t.co/0xpTDziedw #cpfc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) March 24, 2026