Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has admitted that Victor Valdes will leave this summer.
The Spanish custodian revealed earlier this season that he will not renew his contract that runs out at the end of the 2013-14 season, leading the newly-crowned Spanish champions to search for a replacement goalkeeper this summer.
"When we made the new contract offer they told us they did not want to renew because of a desire to want to compete, to want to leave, to want to try another type of football," Zubizarreta told Catalan radio station RAC1.
"[Barcelona's] is a goalkeeping position which takes a lot out of you. I believe this is a 'life' decision, not a professional one. Valdes is a great goalkeeper, a priceless player.
"If Valdes wants to leave, we will sit down with him and look for the best option. I thought the contract extension was going well, and I must offer a 'mea culpa'."
Valdes has been at Barcelona his entire career.
