MANILA – Philippine Azkals defender Alvaro Silva has announced his departure from Ceres-Negros FC midway of its title-retention bid in the 2019 Philippines Football League.
In a lengthy social media post, the 35-year-old Silva made the surprising decision a week after the Negros Occidental-based football squad ended its campaign in the 2019 AFC Cup.
“The time has come to say goodbye. Sometimes difficult decisions must be taken and even though it has not been long you have made me feel at home from the first day,” Silva said.
“I would like to thank everyone who made possible me to play in Ceres Negros FC. My gratitude to the coach, to the boss, to all my teammates, to the staff and of course, to the supporters for all their signs of affection all along,” he added.
Silva, the only Filipino player to win the AFC Cup when he was still playing for Kuwaiti club Qadsia in 2014, will reportedly transfer to the Thai Premier League after his stint with the Busmen.
The departure of Silva, who is a mainstay of the national men’s football team, came as a surprise as he only signed a two-year contract upon his transfer to the Busmen last January.
Prior to his move to the Ceres-Negros, Silva has stints in Spanish League from 2003 to 2016. He then went to Asia to play for Hanoi FC in Vietnam and in Kedah FA in Malaysia./PN
