Luuk de Jong: “FC Porto wanted to keep me” | OneFootball

Luuk de Jong sees his spell at FC Porto and the serious injury that marked it as a turning point, but not as the end of his career. Without a club and available on the market, the 36-year-old Dutch striker looked back on the long recovery process, praised the support he received at the Porto club, and admitted there are several possibilities for the future. Among the revelations, he confirmed: “FC Porto wanted to keep me.”

After a season affected by a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Luuk de Jong calmly addressed a period that forced him to interrupt his routine and reflect on his next steps. His account paints the picture of a player who faced prolonged adversity without losing the ambition to remain involved in football.

The Dutchman recalled the concern caused by the diagnosis and the questions that normally come with an injury capable of keeping a player off the pitch for several months. Even so, he never saw the episode as an inevitable farewell.

“This could have happened at the start of my career, but perhaps it was better that it happened now. When I received the doctor’s diagnosis, a lot went through my mind,” he said. “You know you won’t play again that season, but the question is also whether you will recover well and what will happen afterward. Even so, I don’t feel that this is the end of my career.”

De Jong’s remarks also reflect the idea that recovery is not limited to the period away from competition. It is also a test of one’s ability to stay motivated when the future becomes uncertain.

The injury cut short his experience at FC Porto before the striker could establish himself as he had hoped, but it did not distance him from the team. Throughout the entire process, he made a point of highlighting the closeness shown by the club and his teammates.

“It was a shame to get injured, because you embark on an adventure and hope to make an impact. Of course, it’s not what you expect, although I kept a positive attitude. I stayed with the team to support them in any way I could,” he explained. “They were very supportive and thought things through together with me. I had surgery in the Netherlands and, at every appointment I had, a physiotherapist went with me. That was very good. Because it lasted so long, it was quite difficult, but since I was at the club and among my teammates, it was easier than if I had been somewhere else.”

The striker recalls a particularly demanding process, but one made easier by the daily support at the club. Unable to help on the pitch, he remained connected to the group through life in the dressing room.

The future was also part of the conversation. De Jong revealed that FC Porto wanted to keep him, although the injury also gave him time to consider the possibility of returning to the Netherlands.

“FC Porto wanted to keep me,” he assured. “It was a great adventure, but because of the injury I also used the time to think. It is good to be at home with family and friends, and to see what is still to come. All options remain open.”

Without ruling out any scenario, Luuk de Jong has yet to define the next chapter of his career. His time at FC Porto will be remembered as an interrupted adventure, but also as a period of introspection that has left him open to the challenges ahead.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.