Nelson Valdez joins Hercules Alicante
After four years at Borussia, Praguayan striker Nelson Valdez leaves to join Hercules Alicante in the Spanish Priméra División. Valdez, who joined BVB in 2006 from Werder Bremen for a transfer fee of €4.7m could never live up to the expectations in Dortmund. Although he undoubtedly always gave everything he had on the pitch, his game was never really productive. In 113 Bundesliga matches for Borussia he managed to score only 16 times. But despite this puny goal rate, he was loved by the BVB supporters for his fighting spirit.
But this season coach Klopp made it clear, that there was no room for Valdez in the starting line-up. With Barrios being the sole striker, there was a need for quick, technically gifted players behind and aorund him in the 4-3-2-1 system. And as Valdez was still one of the top earners in Borussia´s squad, the club simply could not afford to keep him as a substitute.
Even though he claimed to have other offers from England and France, Valdez focussed on the transfer to spain. "Alicante tried the hardest to sign me and I am looking forward to live in a warmer climate" Valdez said. The transfer was put in doubt though over the last couple of days, because of accusations that Alicante had gained promotion to the Priméra División only by bribing opposing players. The phone of the president of the club was tapped and rumours have it, that he talked about paying an opposing goalkeeper €100.000 before a decisive match. But since these enquiries wer halted without any result, the transfer could proceed.
The transfer fee is believed to be roundabout €4m, so most of the money spent on Lewandowski before was gained back by BVB. All in all a tranfer that seems to make sense for everybody. Borussia gets rid of a big earner not needed anymore, Valdez gets the chance to play and Alicante get the fighting striker they were looking for.
Web 17.08.2010
