Peter Bosz has offered a more open-ended response to questions about a possible PSV return for Luuk de Jong, stopping short of ruling out the striker despite previously insisting that a reunion was not an option.

The PSV head coach was asked about De Jong ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with FC Porto, where the former Eindhoven captain will be present. While Bosz did not suggest that the club were preparing to bring the 36-year-old back, his latest comments left the door less firmly closed than before.

De Jong is currently without a club after leaving Porto, where his spell was disrupted by a knee injury. Although he has recovered from the problem, he admits that he still needs time to regain full match fitness before committing to his next move.

Asked about De Jong at the press conference in Porto, Bosz recalled seeing the striker after PSV’s match against SC Heerenveen.

“I had seen him in the match against SC Heerenveen,” Bosz said. “Back then, after the match, he came into the coaches’ room for a moment. I’d already had a chat with him a bit then.”

When the possibility of a return to PSV was raised, the Dutch coach responded with a wry reference to the club’s ongoing problems with injuries in attack.

“It does fit in with our line, doesn’t it: injured strikers coming in,” Bosz said.

He added that De Jong was making progress but highlighted a significant obstacle to any immediate return.

“Things are going well with him, but he isn’t training with a group right now.”

The comments do not amount to confirmation of PSV interest, but they represent a softer response than Bosz’s previous insistence that De Jong was “absolutely not an option”.

De Jong has been working towards his next move since his departure from Porto. The striker joined the Portuguese club in the summer of 2025 on a one-year contract, but his spell quickly became complicated by a knee injury that required rehabilitation. Porto did not extend his deal, leaving him a free agent this summer.

In the Road Through Europe podcast, De Jong provided an update on his condition shortly before PSV’s meeting with Porto.

“I feel good, I’m fit,” he said, as quoted by PSV Inside.

However, the veteran striker acknowledged that he still needs to complete a period of preparation to reach the level required for competitive football. While his knee injury is behind him, returning to full match fitness remains an important step.

That distinction could prove crucial for PSV. The club are dealing with continued uncertainty over their attacking options, with Alassane Pléa still some way from a return and Sam Lammers not expected to be ready to reclaim a starting role within the next month.

De Jong left PSV in the summer of 2025 after playing a major role during his time in Eindhoven. His experience, leadership and familiarity with the club would make a potential reunion a natural subject of discussion while Bosz’s side work through their injury problems.

Nevertheless, there is no indication in Bosz’s comments that PSV have opened negotiations or are actively pursuing the striker.

The immediate concern is whether De Jong can find a club willing to accommodate his remaining fitness work while offering him a suitable sporting role. He has made clear that retirement is not on his mind and that he wants to continue playing.

For PSV, the situation remains unresolved. Bosz’s latest remarks were notably less definitive than his previous rejection, but De Jong’s lack of team training means a return would not provide an instant solution to the club’s striker shortage.