Iker Casillas is close to announcing his retirement from football despite his return to Porto on Monday.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper made an unexpected appearance at Porto's training ground on Monday as the Portuguese side began preparations for next season, two months after he suffered a myocardial infarction in training and had emergency surgery.
"Back to work, day one," he wrote on Twitter to announce his return, but he did not train with his team-mates and avoided the pre-season medical exams as he is still recovering from his operation.
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Last month, the former Real Madrid and Spain star dismissed reports that he had already decided to call time on his career, and he has one more year left on his contract, which includes an option to renew until 2021.
But Casillas arrived at Porto's training ground this week to finalise the details of his imminent retirement, though there is no date set for the announcement.
Porto are already preparing for life after the icon, who joined from Madrid in 2015 and made 156 appearances for the Primeira Liga giants.
They are already prepared to dip into the transfer market for two new goalkeepers this summer, with Tomas Koubek of Rennes and Slovan Bratislava's Dominik Greif at the top of their list of candidates.
Casillas will not wave goodbye to football and Porto completely, however, as he has a close bond with the club and city.
He is not planning on a return to his homeland and Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa has asked him to remain at the club in an administrative role.
Casillas enjoyed a glittering 16-year career in the Real Madrid first-team after rising through the club's youth system. He went on to win five La Liga and three Champions League crowns among several other trophies with the capital club.
He remains Spain's most capped player, having made 167 appearances for the national team, winning two European Championships and a World Cup.
