Doding Priso yesterday headed to Cyprus to finalise his season-long loan switch to AEK Larnaca.
Valletta gave the winger the all-clear to rejoin Dutch coach Ton Caanen, who was at the helm of the Citizens last season, at AEK after the two clubs agreed terms over Priso's move.
Speaking to The Times just hours before flying to Cyprus, Priso said the prospect of proving himself in a different, tougher league motivated his decision to move to Cyprus.
"I believe that this is the right time for me to join a club outside Malta," Priso, 23, said.
"It's a good opportunity to test myself in another country where the level of football has improved significantly in the last few years.
"I thought long and hard about this move because it's not easy to leave a club like Valletta. At one point, I felt like I wanted to stay but my mind told me not to miss the chance of playing overseas."
After a season in which he cemented his reputation as one of the most talented foreigners in the Premier League, Priso had been the subject of preliminary enquiries from foreign clubs, including Hertha Berlin, but the Cameroonian admitted that securing a contract abroad is anything but easy.
"It's not easy to move abroad these days," Priso said.
"I had many contacts with clubs over the past two seasons but nothing materialised. Things were different this time as I received a concrete proposal from AEK Larnaca. I was very happy at Valletta but I want to move forward in my career."
Priso admitted that the strong interest shown in him by Caanen and Jordi Cruyff, now sporting director at AEK Larnaca, influenced his decision.
"Caanen knows me well and so does Cruyff," Priso said.
"I think this is an advantage as their interest shows that they value me as a player. They really encouraged me to join them at AEK."
Helping AEK Larnaca achieve their aim of keeping their top-flight status is Priso's objective.
"AEK have just got promoted to the top league and their main target for this season is to avoid relegation," Priso said.
"I'm eager to do well and help my new team reach their aims."
On a personal level, the speedy winger also feels that his move to Cyprus could open up new horizons.
"Of course, Cyprus could be a stepping stone for me but I'm not looking too far ahead," Priso said.
"I like to do things step-by-step and this is why I chose to come to play in Malta a few years back. I believe that if I make my mark for AEK Larnaca, I will get opportunities to move to a higher level."