After eight years – spread over two periods – Luuk de Jong left for the second time in his career at PSV, who had offered him a contract for one year. De Jong wanted to sign up for two years. Nobody knew what his next destination was going to be. Earlier in the day he was extensively linked to his ex-club Sevilla, but there turned out to be nothing true. The Dutch striker continues his career at FC Porto.
Francesco Farioli enjoys stunt FC Porto with Luuk de Jong: ‘Bizarre that nobody knows in 2025’
The Portuguese top club took on Sunday afternoon against Atlético Madrid for his annual gala competition for its own audience. It won with the smallest difference, but nobody who was talking about the game afterwards. A moment just before the kick -off claimed all the attention.
In a sold-out Estádio do Dragão, De Jong suddenly walked out of the catacombs as the latest porto win. And that ensured a complete shock in the stadium. Nobody knew that the attacker was only close to a transition. The supporters not, but also self -proclaimed transfer gurus such as Fabrizio Romano were completely out of the blue.
The making of
The club had therefore done everything not to let the news leak. The Portuguese newspaper O Jogo The next day told the story of ‘The Making of’ of the surprising transfer. It started at the airport. Not De Jong himself, but his agent was ready to pick up the baggage claim to pick up his client’s suitcase.
Emotional Luuk de Jong addresses PSV’ers after transfer to FC Porto: ‘No goodbye, but a good soon’
A smart trick, but all in all quite standard. FC Porto did not leave it at that, the biggest trick still had to come. The Dutchman of course also had to be medically inspected, and that could also happen in silence. Quite unique, because such an inspection involves a lot of people who dare to talk past their mouths.
The solution? Put everyone on the wrong picture by registering their latest acquisition as … handball player. Only a few board members and new -baked coach Francesco Farioli were aware. Even his future teammates could not believe their eyes when De Jong suddenly walked into the dressing room of the dragons. A fine example of deception from the Portuguese club.
Even surprised coach
“I never thought we could keep this secret so far. But it worked and that makes it extra special,” De Jong said about it on the club website.
At Porto he meets Farioli as a new trainer, no stranger to the striker. Last season his PSV kept Ajax of the Italian in extremis of the title, but resentment does not cherish the tactician. “Luuk is a great player and a born winner who entails leadership,” said the Italian.
He too was surprised that the club could keep the deal secret. “The chairman came to me a few days ago and said that the club had done this more often in the past. It was bizarre. But it was very nice for everyone,” he concluded.