Michael Mifsud has played his last match for Valletta after the Malta captain terminated his contract with the club by mutual agreement.
News that Mifsud and Valletta have decided to go their separate ways was confirmed by the club yesterday evening.
“Michael (Mifsud) has expressed his desire to pursue playing opportunities abroad,” Valletta said in a statement.
“An amicable settlement was reached following discussions between club and player.”
The parting of ways had been anticipated after a lacklustre season for Valletta who finished third in the BOV Premier League after ceding the championship crown to Birkirkara.
Long acclaimed as Malta’s leading player, Mifsud has set his sights on a move to a foreign club but admitted that the decision to leave Valletta was not easy.
“It was a tough call, one that I thought a great deal about,” Mifsud, who had another three years left on his deal with Valletta, told Times of Malta. “After a long reflection, I believe that the decision to terminate my contract is in the best interest of both parties.”
During his two spells with Valletta, Mifsud won a clutch of honours, including the league championship in season 2011/12 and the FA Trophy and National League 100th Anniversary Cup in his initial stint with the club in 2010.
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t reach our objectives last season,” Mifsud said.
“We genuinely believed that we had what it takes to win the title but it was not to be.
“I take the opportunity to thank the supporters and those who stayed behind me during my time with Valletta.”
At 32, Mifsud is not getting any younger but his lofty reputation in international football is such that he’s never been short of offers from overseas clubs.
Two weeks ago, Mifsud provided a timely reminder of his scoring prowess when netting the goal that earned Malta a historic away win over Armenia in a World Cup qualifier. The winner in Yerevan cemented Mifsud’s position as Malta’s all-time leading scorer with 37 goals in 98 appearances.
The nippy striker is keen to relaunch his club career overseas but was typically non-committal on his future.
“My intention is to join a club outside Malta for next season but these are still early days,” Mifsud said.
Last summer, Mifsud, who has played for Kaiserslautern, Lillestrom, Coventry City and Barnsley, turned down an approach from Bulgarian club Ludogorets Razgrad.
Sources told Times of Malta that news of Mifsud’s exit from Valletta alerted Sliema Wanderers, the club where the Malta skipper burst to prominence as a precocious teenager.
The Blues have reportedly declared an interest in Mifsud but the latter wants to wait for potential offers from foreign suitors before making a decision on his future.