Stoica says goodbye to Brugge

Romanian international Alin Stoica has been released by Club Brugge KV with immediate effect.

Contract ended
The 25-year-old midfield player was under contract with the Belgian First Division leaders until the end of this season, but has started just five games in 2004 and has not appeared for Romania since last November. With no prospect of a breakthrough, the club and the player have decided to end their association, which began in 2002 when he joined from RSC Anderlecht.

'Best solution'
"This is the best solution for both parties," said Stoica, who has dual Belgian and Romanian citizenship and was voted Belgium's young player of the year in 2001. "I really regret that my stay here was not a footballing success but I have a lot of good memories of the people I worked with and certainly the Brugge fans." Brugge are currently seven points clear of Anderlecht but out of Europe after finishing fourth in their UEFA Cup group.