Luuk de Jong turned down staying at FC Porto: “I took time to think” | OneFootball

Luuk de Jong explained that he made the considered decision not to continue at FC Porto, even though the national champions wanted to keep the striker in the squad. At 36, after a serious knee injury suffered last season, the Dutchman insists he is not considering bringing his career to an end and is leaving his future open.

Speaking to PSV TV, the club channel of the side he represented for the longest period – 338 games, 186 goals and 98 assists – the centre-forward spoke about his recovery. “I feel good and my knee is also doing well. I’m in the final stage of my recovery. Now, I’m calmly waiting to see what comes next,” he said.

His spell in blue and white, for which he was signed at the insistence of Francesco Farioli, who already knew him from their time in the Eredivisie, ended up being marked by the injury that has kept him off the pitch since November.

“It was a shame to get injured, because you set off on an adventure and hope to make an impact. Of course, that’s not what you expect, although I kept a positive attitude. I stayed close to the team to support them in any way I could,” he explained, taking a calm view of what happened: “This could also have happened at the start of my career, so maybe it’s better that it happened now.”

The Dutch international also recalled the impact of receiving confirmation of the injury. “When you get the doctor’s diagnosis, a lot goes through your mind. You know you won’t play again that season, but the question is also whether you’ll recover properly and what will happen afterwards. I don’t feel that this is the end of my career,” he assured.

De Jong also highlighted the support he received from FC Porto throughout the recovery process. “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 came with me. That was very good,” he recalled. The striker acknowledged how tough the process was, but underlined the importance of having remained integrated within the group: “Because it was 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.”

Although the Dragons wanted to extend the link, the player decided not to accept that possibility. “FC Porto wanted me to continue. It was a great adventure, but because of the injury I also used the time to think. It’s also good to be at home with family and friends, and to see what still lies ahead. All options remain open,” he concluded.

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