Tuesday 27 December 2016 07:26, UK
David Albelda has admitted that he is set to leave Valencia in the summer after 18 years at the club and will look to move abroad.
The Spain international midfielder will be 36 in September and believes that the time is right to experience a new country and a new league before he retires.
"There is a 95 per cent chance I will not continue at Valencia when the season ends," said Albelda.
"Could I stay? You always leave a small door open, but it depends on me and not the president or sporting director.
"I have always believed that I should leave at a time when it feels right. My first few months this season were complicated because I could not contribute anything."
After making his first team debut for Valencia in 1996, Albelda went on to help the club win the Spanish league title twice, the UEFA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
Along with nearly 350 appearances for Los Che, the no-nonsense star played 51 games for Spain and was in the national squad for the World Cup Finals in 2002 and 2006 and for Euro 2004.
In 2008 Albelda was strongly linked with a move to the Premier League, with Tottenham's Juande Ramos keen to take him to White Hart Lane and Chelsea also holding an interest.
An opportunity in England may have passed him by, but Albelda is ruling nothing out.
"I practically cannot contemplate being in Spain. But, we will see when the time comes and the situations that arise," he added.
"My idea would be to test myself abroad."
