FC Porto coach Sergio Conceição had to explain the return of his son, Francisco Conceição. The twenty-year-old right winger has been loaned from Ajax until the end of the season.
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Amsterdam paid five million euros for Conceição a year ago, but he has not lived up to expectations at the Johan Cruijff Arena. A return to FC Porto is expected to provide a solution, but the deal has raised eyebrows in Portugal.
'But he's coming for free, and it's impossible to get a player of his quality for free,' his father and coach defended him in the Portuguese media.
"Many people don't understand it. I don't get it because Francisco can be very valuable to us," Sergio Conceição, a club icon of Os Dragões, continued. "His style of play, disrupting the opponent, his uniqueness. And Gabriel Veron (Conceição's competition) has a history of injuries. Francisco came for free and came through the youth academy. If the club pays the clause, it's a good sign. He's going to be important for us."
FC Porto has an option to permanently acquire the dribbler for ten million euros. Ajax director Sven Mislintat was keen to get rid of Conceição's salary, which was reported to be between two and three million euros.
Updated: 12:36, 17 Sep 2023
