Gylfi Sigurdsson has been axed by the club he made his football comeback with after just six months and five matches.
The Iceland international, 34, left Everton at the end of the 2021-22 season when his contract expired and had not played until he signed for Danish side Lyngby in August last year.
Sigurdsson was released by Everton over a year after his last competitive game and five since he became their record signing for £45million. He had scored 67 Premier League goals split across 318 games for Swansea, Tottenham and Everton.
Lyngby confirmed however on Thursday that he midfielder would leave the club following injury, bringing an end to his stay at the club after just six months.
He is, however, back in the game and in his homeland, joining Valur in the Besta deild karla – the men’s premier division in the country.
Lybgby said of his departure: ‘It was under great scrutiny that Gylfi Sigurdsson was presented back at the end of August 2023 in Lyngby Boldklub, but here, well over half a year later, the Icelander is now finished as a royal blue.
‘Football manager Nicas Kjeldsen thanks Gylfi for his time at the club and wishes the Icelander good luck in the future.’
His new side boasted of his arrival, saying they were ‘extremely proud’ to present the midfielder as a new player for the club.
They reported that he signed a two-year deal during a training trip to Spain.
‘I am extremely happy with my decision to join Val, which in my opinion is an exemplary team,’ Sigurdsson said after the move. ‘I believe that my style of play is well suited to the football that the team wants to play after training with them recently. I have felt good since I attended my first practice and it will be good to be here.
‘When I had decided to come home, I felt it was important to make the right choice. The environment offered by Val is very good and on par with the best in the Nordic countries. So I just have a good feeling about the club and you can feel that there is a lot of ambition here.
‘I’ve never been an Icelandic champion, and considering the personnel at Val, I don’t see anything as an obstacle to us fighting for the title. I know some of the team very well and am getting to know others better. It’s a cool mix of experienced men and young and promising guys that I’m looking forward to playing with.’
Lyngby had pledged to be ‘patient’ with Sigurdsson when he joined the club, but his stay was short-lived.
He made his debut in September 2023, more than two years after his last professional appearance, but his time did not go to plan.
Sigurdsson also made his return to international action in October last year, playing in Euro 2024 qualification matches nearly three years since his last appearance for Iceland.
He became his country’s all-time top scorer in the break, netting twice against Liechenstein to take his total to 27 goals for his country.