On Sunday, David Villa announced, via the official website of Atlético Madrid, that he will be leaving the club to take on another challenge. While he did not name his destination, it’s believed that he’s on his way to join New York City FC. In the video the forward said,"Seré del Atleti toda mi vida,” or “I will be an Atlético fan all my life.”
The Spaniard stated that Atléti were prepared to renew his contract, but NYCFC had made an “irresistible” offer, and he felt the time had come to pursue new challenges.
David Villa joined Atlético Madrid just last year, after three seasons spent with Barcelona. The move to New York will provide his first time playing outside the Spanish leagues, where he played for Sporting Gijón, Zaragoza, and Valencia before joining Barcelona.
The 32-year-old shone with Los Colchoneros in his single year in Madrid. Playing alongside Atléti’s star, Diego Costa, he still managed to grab 13 goals of his own. David Villa was one of the reasons why the team were able to reach such dizzying heights this season, finishing top of La Liga and facing down (and ultimately losing to) rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
NYCFC doesn’t even join MLS until March 2015, but they’re already hoping to boast a star-spangled lineup. In addition to wooing away David Villa from Atlético, they’re also hoping to sign Frank Lampard, who’s yet to come to an agreement with Chelsea on a new deal.