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 their Premier League promotion quest and reunite with a familiar coach.
In an announcement on Thursday, Swansea revealed the signing of the 29-year-old from Porto, penning a two-year deal with an option for an additional season. Eustaquio cited the appeal of working under head coach Vitor Matos, a former colleague from Porto, as a significant factor in 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 the previous Championship season in 11th place, far from the promotion playoff spots, setting a challenging path back to the Premier League.
Acknowledging the tough journey ahead, 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, and raised by Portuguese parents, Eustaquio relocated to Portugal as a child. Prior to his tenure at Porto, he played for Chaves in Portugal and Cruz Azul in Mexico. Accumulating over 150 appearances during his four-and-a-half years at Porto, Eustaquio also had a brief loan spell with Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer earlier this year.
With 61 caps for Canada, Eustaquio has represented the nation at the past two World Cups. Notable contributions include his stoppage-time winner against South Africa in the Round of 32 at the recent tournament, where he also captained the team in the absence of Alphonso Davies due to injury.
Reflecting on his World Cup experience, Eustaquio said, “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.”
Set to don the No. 46 jersey for Swansea, Eustaquio is poised to make his debut potentially against Derby County this weekend.