Stephen Eustaquio swiftly agreed to join Swansea City when the opportunity arose. 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 its quest to return to the Premier League and reunite with a familiar coach.
Swansea revealed on Thursday the signing of the 29-year-old from Porto, securing him on a two-year contract with the option for an additional season. Eustaquio highlighted the significant role of working with head coach Vitor Matos, who had previous ties to Porto, in his decision-making process.
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.” Despite Swansea finishing 11th in the Championship last season, which was far from the promotion playoff spots, Eustaquio acknowledged the challenging journey ahead for the club to reclaim its Premier League status.
“The dream of being part of a big club looking to get back to the top league was the big attraction for me,” he remarked optimistically. Recognizing the difficulties ahead, he added, “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, Ont., with Portuguese roots, Eustaquio relocated to Portugal as a youngster. Prior to his time at Porto, he had stints with Portuguese club Chaves and Cruz Azul in Mexico. Accumulating over 150 appearances during his four-and-a-half-year tenure at Porto, Eustaquio also had a brief loan spell at Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC earlier this year.
Eustaquio boasts 61 caps for Canada and has represented his country in the last two World Cups. His standout moment in this summer’s tournament was scoring the crucial stoppage-time goal in Canada’s 1-0 victory over South Africa in the Round of 32 before Canada’s elimination by Morocco. Additionally, he took on the captain’s role in several games due to Alphonso Davies’ injury.
Reflecting on his World Cup experience, Eustaquio expressed his joy, saying, “This summer was amazing. For us as a country, it was a dream come true to go so far in such an amazing tournament.” Delighting in the records broken and his impactful goal against South Africa, he emphasized the happiness brought by those moments.
Set to don the No. 46 jersey for Swansea, Eustaquio could potentially make his debut in the upcoming match against Derby County this weekend.
