In the end, the decision for Diego Valeri was an easy one.
The longtime Portland Timbers midfielder spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since signing a multi-year contract extension with the club in December, expressing a mixture of joy and relief that contract negotiations came to a positive conclusion.
“It feels great," Valeri said of returning to the Timbers during Wednesday’s media day at Providence Park. "It was a long process, right? But in the end it was easy to solve. I’m very happy to keep playing for these colors, for our supporters and for this organization.”
That sentiment was echoed by Timbers general manager and president of soccer Gavin Wilkinson and head coach Giovanni Savarese.
“From a club perspective, and I know from a fan perspective, we’re all delighted he’s back,” Wilkinson said. “What he’s done for this club and what he will continue to do is remarkable. It’s the person, it’s the player, it’s the complete package along with the family.”
Wilkinson also made a point to note that Valeri, who re-signed with the Timbers via Targeted Allocation Money, had the interest of the club in mind when working out his new deal.
“I think when MLS release their salary cap numbers, etc., you’ll start to see he is fully committed to this organization, fully committed to this city and he wants this club to be successful," said Wilkinson.
Savarese emphasized that keeping Valeri in Portland was “the right thing to do” for both sides.
“It was a priority for us to make sure that he stayed,” said Savarese. “We were looking for the right way for him to be able to stay here with this club that he’s given so much, and the club that has given so much to him. We felt that he needed to continue here — also for his family — and I’m glad, personally, that we found a way to make that happen.”
The 33-year-old Argentinian joined Portland in 2013 and has been the face of the franchise since, setting the record for goals scored (76), assists (81) and points (233) during their MLS era. He won the league MVP in 2017, has been named an MLS All-Star four times and is a three-time MLS Best XI honoree. He helped the Timbers claim the 2015 MLS Cup, winning the MLS Cup MVP following Portland’s 2-1 win over the Columbus Crew.
Along with the success and accolades he’s earned on the field, the connection Valeri and his family have established in the community since moving to the Rose City was a big factor in his decision to re-sign with the club.
“You all know that my daughter, this place is her home,” Valeri said, "and for my wife, she is in love with the community, with this city and with the club so we are very happy about it.”
— Sean Meagher | smeagher@oregonian.com
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