Zubizarreta: “We respect Valdés’ professional and irrevocable decision”

FOOTBALL

The FC Barcelona sports director has explained that the goalkeeper’s agent has announced to the Club that the player will not be extending his contract any further than June 30, 2014

"We have to support him and encourage him as much as we have done throughout his career" said Zubizarreta

He is committed to this jersey until June 30, 2014 and will defend the goal with everything he has and knows"

Sports director Andoni Zubizarreta has spoken this morning about Víctor Valdés’ decision not to stay at FC Barcelona any later than 2014, which he was informed about on Thursday via the player’s agent. “We were holding the first meeting to initiate the process for renewing Víctor’s contract. The meeting began with us expressing the club’s desire to extend his contract, because we consider him to be a top class goalkeeper. But before we could make any proposal or discuss anything, his agent said the decision was already made and meditated, and that he will not be staying any later than June 30, 2014. It is an irrevocable decision”, ‘Zubi’ told Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.com

Committed until 2014

At the same time, Zubizarreta called for supporters to “respect the professional decision of a player who has spent 12 years in this home. With that in mind, we are asking you to continue supporting him and to encourage him as much as you have done throughout his career. He is committed to this jersey until June 30, 2014 and will defend the goal with everything he has and knows. Meanwhile, we shall work together to see what the next steps should be, along with him and his agent, to work together to deal with this situation that arose yesterday”.