Luis Nani has announced his departure from MLS side Orlando City, after spending three years with the club. He was the captain of the team during his time, and guided them to their first-ever playoffs in the competition.
The player took to Twitter to announce his decision to the fans, thanking them for their support. He also mentioned that Orlando City had declined to extend the 35-year-old’s deal with the club.
Nani is the fifth most capped player in the history of the Portugal national team, and has featured for the likes of Manchester United and Sporting CP in Europe. The winger joined from Sporting CP in 2019, as a free agent and has since been very influential for them.
In 77 games for the Lions, he scored 28 goals and provided 23 assists, and helped them reach back-to-back MLS Cup Playoffs and the MLS is Back Tournament Final.
“We want to thank Nani for the professionalism that he’s shown in his time in Orlando,” Orlando chairman Mark Wilf said in a release. “Even in the short time since we’ve taken over as stewards of this great club, we have had great respect for Nani’s passion and abilities, while he led us as captain. We wish him the best moving forward.”
With the departure of Luis Nani, Orlando City FC have two spots open for Designated Players. The offseason will be a busy time for them as they look to add new faces to the squad for the upcoming season.