Rivaldo departs AEK Athens for Uzbekistan club

AEK Athens' Rivaldo (L) heads the ball as Getafe's David Belenguer watches during their UEFA Cup third round soccer match at Coliseum Alfonso Perez stadium in Getafe in this file photo from February 21, 2008. Rivaldo has left AEK Athens to join Uzbekistan side Bunyodkor, the Greek Super League club has announced.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Former Brazil striker Rivaldo has left AEK Athens to join Uzbekistan side Bunyodkor, the Greek Super League club has announced.

"AEK has now agreed to release Rivaldo from his contract following the payment of a transfer fee," a club spokesman told Reuters on Thursday.

"AEK would like to thank him for his contribution last season and wish him well in his future career."

Rivaldo, who stunned AEK with his decision to leave after just one season, said this week he had received an offer from Bunyodkor he could not turn down.

"It was a difficult decision to make but I have received an offer that is very good for my career," he told a Greek radio station on Tuesday.

Rivaldo, who was a member of the Brazil side that won the World Cup in 2002, came to Greece in the summer of 2004, spending three seasons at Olympiakos Piraeus before moving to

AEK.

(Editing by N.Ananthanarayanan)