Antonio Valencia Issues Heartfelt Message After Man United Fails to Trigger Extension Clause
Antonio Valencia claims that he's determined to return from injury so that he can have a proper send-off at Manchester United this season.
The club captain learned on Friday that United failed to trigger his one-year extension clause at Old Trafford, meaning that the 33-year-old will walk away for free after spending most of the last 13 years in north-west England.
In a statement which Valencia released on social media, he claimed the could never have imagined he would play for the "best club in the world" and that now he is more determined to return from injury before the end of the season.
"Lago Agrio is a very humble town in Ecuador. When I was a child, I never imagined travel to Europe," Valencia wrote on Instagram. "Thanks to God for letting me play 10 years in the best club in the world: Manchester United.
"Now I am focused on my recovery so I can end the season playing at Old Trafford."
The Manchester United captain has spent the last 10 years at Old Trafford and is currently their longest serving player, making more overall appearances in the Premier League than any other player in their squad except for Ashley Young.
Valencia has scored 25 goals across all competitions for Manchester United during his decade at Old Trafford, where he's worked under Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho.
He's won nine major honours since joining from Wigan Athletic in 2009, including three Premier League titles, a FA Cup and a Europa League.
