On 3 July 2010, Moutinho signed a five-year contract with rivals FC Porto, with the transfer price reaching €11 million (€1 million being paid for 50% of the rights to central defender Nuno André Coelho); additionally, Sporting would receive 25% of any added value (Portuguese: mais valia) occurring during that time frame, provided it surpassed the previous value.
Sporting Chairman José Eduardo Bettencourt described Moutinho's conduct as deplorable and called him a "rotten apple", adding: "The deal was done because Sporting wanted it, because it did not want a rotten apple in its orchard, and it did not want someone who was not an example, nor dignified the flag of the club."
Soon after, Porto sold 37.5% of the player's economic rights to a third party, Mamers BV, for €4,125,000.

Moutinho was an ever-present figure for Porto in his first season.
He appeared in 50 official games as the northerners won the league and, even though he did not score in league competition, he netted twice in the campaign's Portuguese Cup, most notably in a 3–1 away win against S.L. Benfica, with his team overcoming the 0–2 home loss in the first leg to reach the final, in which the player also appeared, against Vitória de Guimarães (6–2); he added another 90 minutes in the final of the Europa League, and the club won the treble.

On 3 August 2011, Porto partnered with Soccer Invest Fund to buy back 37.5% of Moutinho's economic rights.
The private investment fund acquired 15% after the overall transactions, while Porto recouped 22.5% for €4 million; the residual 15% was acquired by Porto in 2013, for €3.3 million.

On 19 February 2013, Moutinho scored to help his team to a 1–0 home win over Málaga CF for the Champions League round of 16, netting from close range after an Alex Sandro cross (eventual 2–1 aggregate loss).
He made 43 appearances during the campaign all competitions comprised (five goals, 3,515 minutes of action), as both team and player won their third consecutive league championship.
On 3 July 2010, Moutinho signed a five-year contract with rivals FC Porto, with the transfer price reaching €11 million (€1 million being paid for 50% of the rights to central defender Nuno André Coelho); additionally, Sporting would receive 25% of any added value (Portuguese: mais valia) occurring during that time frame, provided it surpassed the previous value. Sporting Chairman José Eduardo Bettencourt described Moutinho's conduct as deplorable and called him a "rotten apple", adding: "The deal was done because Sporting wanted it, because it did not want a rotten apple in its orchard, and it did not want someone who was not an example, nor dignified the flag of the club." Soon after, Porto sold 37.5% of the player's economic rights to a third party, Mamers BV, for €4,125,000.
Moutinho was an ever-present figure for Porto in his first season. He appeared in 50 official games as the northerners won the league and, even though he did not score in league competition, he netted twice in the campaign's Portuguese Cup, most notably in a 3–1 away win against S.L. Benfica, with his team overcoming the 0–2 home loss in the first leg to reach the final, in which the player also appeared, against Vitória de Guimarães (6–2); he added another 90 minutes in the final of the Europa League, and the club won the treble.
On 3 August 2011, Porto partnered with Soccer Invest Fund to buy back 37.5% of Moutinho's economic rights. The private investment fund acquired 15% after the overall transactions, while Porto recouped 22.5% for €4 million; the residual 15% was acquired by Porto in 2013, for €3.3 million.
On 19 February 2013, Moutinho scored to help his team to a 1–0 home win over Málaga CF for the Champions League round of 16, netting from close range after an Alex Sandro cross (eventual 2–1 aggregate loss). He made 43 appearances during the campaign all competitions comprised (five goals, 3,515 minutes of action), as both team and player won their third consecutive league championship.
João Moutinho