Besides Francisco Conceição, veteran Pepe (41) and coach Sérgio Conceicão are also likely to stay longer at FC Porto. This was announced by chairman Pinto da Costa, after Porto exercised the purchase option on the attacker rented from Ajax.
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Conceição Junior is set to make a notable return to Porto this upcoming summer, with the club committing to a definitive transfer fee of ten million euros.
This move comes after Porto initially sold the promising 21-year-old winger to Ajax for five million euros just two years prior. Pinto da Costa, the club's chairman, expressed during a club meeting with Portuguese media on Tuesday evening that he had always been confident in the young player’s eventual return to Porto, highlighting the strategic foresight of the club’s management.
Pinto da Costa praised Conceição, emphasizing his embodiment of the core values of both Portuguese football and FC Porto. Since his return, Conceição has made an impressive impact, finding the net seven times. His performance justified a five-year contract and retained his number 10 shirt, which had been specifically reserved for him upon his departure an emblematic gesture underscoring his integral role at the club.
Further bolstering the team’s prospects, Conceição is expected to be accompanied by his father, Sérgio Conceição, who is also the team's coach. Sérgio has committed to continuing in his role, contingent on Pinto da Costa's re-election as club president. Additionally, the veteran player Pepe, at 41, has agreed to extend his contract for another year.
Despite his age, Pepe continues to perform at a high level, demonstrating that skill and experience often outweigh age in football. Pinto da Costa remarked on the irrelevance of age in determining a player's ability to contribute to the team, asserting his willingness to keep Pepe as long as he remains president. If leadership changes, however, Pepe’s future would need to be discussed with the new president, indicating the potential for shifts in player management based on administrative changes.
