Al Wahda say goodbye to Valdivia

Dubai - The Copa America hero's two-year contract with The Clarets has come to an end

It is quite unusual for a football club in this region to hand out fond farewells and it is refreshing to see Abu Dhabi club Al Wahda do just that. Fresh after The Clarets accorded a fitting farewell to their outgoing coach Javier Aguirre, the newly crowned President's Cup champions Al Wahda have said an emotional goodbye to their Chilean playmaker Jorge Valdivia.
The Copa America hero's two-year contract has come to an end and the club have thanked Valdivia for two good years, which saw them lift the Arabian Gulf Cup and the prestigious President's Cup.
"With deep appreciation, we would like to thank a member of our family Jorge Valdivia as his contract has come to an end this season. Thank you Valdivia and good luck," Al Wahda wrote on their official twitter handle.
Nicknamed 'El Mago,' the year 2015 was a rebirth of sorts for Valdivia. It was the year that he had joined Al Wahda and it was the year he struck a formidable partnership with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal, then with Italian side Juventus, to help Chile end a 28-year wait for the Copa America title.
Since joining Al Wahda, Valdivia won the Arabian Gulf Cup in the 2015-16 season and ended his two-year stay with the President's Cup. Known for his flair and his trickery inside the box, Valdivia was a vital cog in Al Wahda's wheel, linking up well with Hungarian playmaker Balazs Dzsudzsak and striker Sebastian Tagliabue, as well as the local upstarts from Al Wahda's famed youth academy.
Valdivia made 41 appearances across competitions and scored nine goals and had 15 assists over his two seasons with the club.
It is not known where Valdivia is headed but talks doing the rounds are that he could make a return to his first club Colo Colo in his native Chile or join Brazilian club Santos. There is also talk that the 33-year-old, who still harbours a return to the Chile team, could head to the United States to join New York Cosmos.
This was his second stint in the UAE after he had spent two trophy-laden seasons with Al Ain from 2008 to 2010.
He won the then Etisalat Emirates Cup in 2008, the President's Cup in 2008-09 and the Super Cup in 2009.
james@khaleejtimes.com
 
STATS:
Played: 41
Goals: 9
Assists: 15
Trophies: Arabian Gulf Cup 2015-16; President's Cup 2016-2017