LISBON, July 18 (Reuters) - The Portuguese government will take a decision next week on the potential replacement of Mario Centeno as Bank of Portugal governor, whose five-year term ends on Saturday, Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento said on Friday.

Sarmento has previously said the cabinet would consider whether to reappoint Centeno, an outspoken monetary policy dove at the European Central Bank and a former finance minister in a previous Socialist government, or replace him towards the end of his term.

Centeno has been the target of frequent criticism from the political right, now in power, for transitioning from his role as finance minister in a previous Socialist administration to the central bank in 2020, which, according to his critics, undermined the institution's independence.

(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves and Andrei Khalip)

((sergio.goncalves@thomsonreuters.com; +351213509204; Reuters Messaging: sergio.goncalves.reuters.com@reuters.net))