Perr Schuurs signs NEC contract after Linssen's mediation and knee recovery

Perr Schuurs will make his NEC debut in the coming months after signing a contract until mid-2029 with the Dutch club. The 26-year-old defender, who was transfer-free since February after his Torino contract was terminated, has been recovering from a serious knee injury in the Netherlands.

Schuurs joined NEC following contact from technical director Carlos Aalbers several weeks ago. He had previously given a major interview that drew significant responses, which he believes Aalbers noticed. Schuurs emphasized the positive conversations with both Aalbers and the club’s coach before finalizing his move.

"I gave a big interview a while ago. I received a lot of feedback, and I think the director saw that too," Schuurs told NEC’s official channels. "We spoke on the phone and explained everything—our ambitions and how they aligned. After feeling very positive about it, I had a talk with the coach, which was also very good."

The defender stressed realism about his situation, noting his long injury layoff. "NEC is giving me a chance. With the club’s ambitions and the prospect of European football, it’s basically the perfect fit for me," he said. "I’m still recovering and training in Amsterdam with my own physiotherapist. It was important to me that I had time to get fit. I’ll sometimes train with the club, but the goal is to be match-fit by mid-September."

Schuurs revealed he had already gathered information about NEC from teammate Bryan Linssen. "I’ve been in close contact with Bryan. He’s a good friend of mine. In recent weeks, he suddenly sent more messages than usual... That helped a lot. He kept asking: is there an agreement, when are you signing?"