Valencia legend Fernando Gomez suspects David Silva might pass up an opportunity to return to the club.
The 34-year-old remains committed to leaving Manchester City once his contract expires this summer.
Silva won four Premier League titles and two FA Cups in ten years with City. He also won the 2008 World Cup and Euro2010 and 2012 with Spain.
A sentimental return to Valencia, where Silva started his career way back in 2000, has been touted, along with offers from Major League Soccer and China.
Former sporting director Fernando made the deal that saw Silva move to England and believes the attacking midfielder may look to wind down his career in a less stressful environment.
"Silva could succeed as he has at City or any decent club in the world. Good footballers, and Silva is one of the best, have no problem playing well anywhere.
"They understand the game perfectly, always choose their positioning and passing well and execute with great precision. He's very well regarded in Spain too, it's logical, a player of proven quality, very important in a league like England's, and a champion with the Spanish national team.
"If he is mentally prepared for the challenge, he could return to the VCF. But his age, and the demands he has been subjected to in his playing career, may make him look for another type of league in which to finish his final years."
One of Gomez's other great successes during his time at Valencia was the emergence of Juan Mata.
The diminutive midfielder was bought from Real Madrid Castilla in 2007 and blossomed in a four year spell at the Mestalla.
In 2011, Mata won a move to Chelsea, where he would win the Champions League and Europa League, before joining his current club Manchester United three years later.
And Gomez, who spent 15 years at Los Che as a player, says Mata remains a respected figure in the Spanish city.
"Mata is another similar case, not quite as talented as Silva, but similar. In my opinion, he has responded at United better than I expected.
"He doesn't have as much spark as Silva, but he is very intelligent and has a refined technique and a clear vision of the game. He has developed another great career in Manchester, and that makes him very much appreciated here. "
