In less than a week of Barca head coach Pep Guardiola’s decision to leave the club, here is another probable high profile departure from Nou Camp. This time, Barca’s most trusted goalie Victor Valdes has decided not to renew his expiring contract with Barcelona FC. His current contract is going to expire after 2013-14 season, and thereafter, he will look around elsewhere to continue his soccer career. This news is a bit of surprise for everyone, coz he has been with Spanish club during his entire career; perhaps he led the club to win many rememberable wins, including some of his all-time best goal saviors. His decision is being linked with the ex-head coach’s departure and everyone believes him to go to Bayern Munich and play with his long time associated coach, but he has not confirmed anything yet about his new club or league. He communicated his desire through his agent Gines Carvajal who issued his statement in media also, his statement reads as, “The agents of Victor Valdes have communicated to Barcelona in a meeting held this afternoon the irrevocable decision of the player to not renew his contract.”
Like anybody else, Barca coach, who has recently gone through a cancer surgery, Tito Vilanova is also surprised to know Valdes desire though he did not contradict him; perhaps he valued his decision to look his career somewhere else. He said, “I encouraged him to renew. I had a sense that he would renew, but negotiations never got started. He was direct and we must respect him.” Vilanova has had a long conversation with him where he tried to find out the reason why he is taking such an extreme step, but he could not find anything. He also added that player is not unhappy with the club; it is just a choice to move t somewhere else.
Though, there is around one and a half year left for Barca to look for his suitable replacement, and in between, there could also be a successful negotiation which could deprive him moving anywhere else. Discussing about his private conversation with player, Vilanova added, “I have talked with Victor, one on one, and it was a private conversation. We have to respect his decision. I’ve seen him happy and content. I do not think he is unhappy with us.
“I understand some people think it is not a good time to go, but it gives the club time to find a replacement in a very difficult position. Anyway, every player is entitled to do what he wants. There is no doubting his professionalism.
“Sometimes we think Barcelona is the best club to play at but we all have the right to play elsewhere, experience other cultures… He’s a free man. I respect him a lot.”