Former Spain international David Villa has announced a move to top-flight Japanese club Vissel Kobe, the same club that signed Andrés Iniesta in May this year.
Villa's contract with Major League Soccer side New York City FC comes to an end on December 31st. Two days ago he posted a video online thanking the club for everything and confirming his departure from the club he helped found, but did not reveal where he was headed.
Today's announcement confirms that 'El Guaje' will join former Barcelona team-mate Iniesta and ex-Germany forward Lukas Podolski at Vissel Kobe.
"The moment has come," he told the press on Saturday. "It's decided. I have a new destination. A great challenge awaits. Asia. New trips. New country. New culture. New team-mates. Hello Japan. Hello Vissel Kobe."
Confirming the deal, Kobe said in a statement that Villa's signing was "another step towards the club's goal of becoming the number one club in Asia."
The 36 year old scored 80 goals in 124 games for New York after becoming the club's first ever player when he signed from Atlético Madrid in 2014.
Asturian born Villa began his career at Sporting Gijón, playing for Real Zaragoza and Valencia before a €40m move to Barcelona in 2010, where he won the Spanish league twice and the 2010-11 Champions League. He left for Atlético Madrid in 2013, scoring 13 league goals to help them win La Liga for the first time since 1996.
With the national side he won the 2008 European Championship and the 2010 World Cup and remains the country's top scorer with 59 goals for 'La Roja'.
In a press conference appearance alongside the club's billionaire owner, Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of electronics giant Rakuten, Inc, Villa stated that one of the main reasons for choosing the Japanese club was "how keen" Vissel was to "make a name for themselves in Japan".
He also expressed his wish to be part of a "project in progress" as is the case with Vissel Kobe, "where there is a desire to play technical, possession-based football".
"Iniesta, the player who does this best, is here", added Villa, who also confided that his ex-team-mate has also been a "great friend" for many years now and that Iniesta's presence at the Japanese club had influenced his decision to sign for them.
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