When? We’re not sure. Victor Valdes has announced he won’t be renewing his contract with Barcelona, which means he’ll be free to sign with anyone in 2014, unless the only club he has ever played for sells him somewhere first.
It might not even be about money: The 31 year old goalkeeper announced a couple of weeks ago that he would love to have a taste of different football and culture than what he’s experienced so far in his life, and set off the rumor mill just before the negotiations between the players’ agents and the club began.
His agents announced that Valdes isn’t planning on signing once again for the club, and there’s no real need for a sit down and getting into financial negotiations.
Maybe there’s more to it than this, and it is a money issue, thinking he can make more somewhere else. The question regarding Valdes’ ability will always be around; despite being a part of three Champions League titles and five La Liga championships, setting the appearances record for a Barcelona goalkeeper and being part of the Spanish national team, Valdes isn’t considered a truly great one. Just a solid goalkeeper that happened to be part of the most talented team in history.
It won’t matter when teams start asking for him, maybe even this summer. Valdes has already been linked with Liverpool, who have another Spanish international (a Casillas-sub, that means), as the goalkeeper that will replace Pepe Reina, who hasn’t impressed in recent times at Anfield. More names will be coming up pretty soon.
Valdes has appeared 349 times for Barcelona in La Liga matches, 483 times in all competitions. He has been the club’s starting goalkeeper since the 2003-2004 season without any competition for nearly a decade.