Stephen Eustaquio readily accepted the opportunity to join Swansea City without much persuasion. Fresh from aiding Canada in reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time, the midfielder was enticed by the chance to assist the Welsh club in their quest to return to the Premier League, particularly under the guidance of a familiar coach.
On Thursday, Swansea officially confirmed the signing of the 29-year-old from Porto on a two-year deal with an additional season option. Eustaquio emphasized that the prospect of working with head coach Vitor Matos, who had previous ties with Porto, significantly influenced his decision.
Expressing his satisfaction with the move, Eustaquio stated, “It was almost a no-brainer for me. I know what I’m going to get here, so I’m very happy that I made this decision.” Swansea concluded last season in 11th place in the Championship, distant from the promotion playoff spots.
Acknowledging the challenging journey ahead for Swansea to reclaim their Premier League status, Eustaquio remarked, “The dream of being part of a big club looking to get back to the top league was the big attraction for me. Obviously, it’s going to be very hard, but at the same time, if you think game by game, it’s very possible to create a special atmosphere here in the stadium, and it might be a special season. Who knows?”
Originally from Leamington, Ontario, to Portuguese parents, Eustaquio relocated to Portugal in his childhood. Before his time at Porto, he featured for Portuguese club Chaves and Mexico’s Cruz Azul. With over 150 appearances for Porto during his four-and-a-half years there, he also had a brief loan stint with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC earlier this year.
Having earned 61 caps for Canada and participated in the last two World Cups, Eustaquio made a notable impact at the recent tournament. His stoppage-time goal secured Canada’s 1-0 victory over South Africa in the Round of 32 before their exit at the hands of Morocco. Additionally, he assumed the captain’s role in several matches due to Alphonso Davies’ injury.
Reflecting on his World Cup experience, Eustaquio expressed, “This summer was amazing. For us as a country, it was a dream come true to go so far in such an amazing tournament. The fact that we broke some records was amazing, and the fact that I was able to help the team with that goal against South Africa was a really big moment of happiness.”
Eustaquio is set to wear jersey number 46 for Swansea and could potentially make his debut in the upcoming match against Derby County this weekend.