Why you should not be freaking out about Carlos Valdés.

I'm not sure why there's all the fuss over the Carlos Valdés situation.

This is what happens when you have a player that is wanted by teams that have more money, a better reputation, the chance to play for awesome silverware - there are rumors that clubs are going to swoop in and sign him. It's the nature of the business. I hate to say it, but this is the first time that the Philadelphia Union have a player that is wanted on an international scale. This is a good thing, and a situation that I hope is repeated over and over. I hope the Union always have players that are so good that clubs from home and abroad want them.

As fans, sometimes it's easy to get lost in the hysteria of losing one of your best players. Nothing wrong with that - it's just human nature in dealing with loss. I get that some of you for whatever reason never liked Valdés. That's your prerogative, although I don't understand why you wouldn't like someone who is arguably the best player to don the blue and gold. For those of us that do, I'm sure we're all going through the Kübler-Ross model of dealing with grief. That's ok too. I'm at stage five. I want you to get here with me.

Think about Carlos Valdés the person for a minute. As a boy growing up in Colombia, I can guarantee you his dream growing up wasn't hoisting the MLS Cup on a snowy November day in Chester. More than likely it was winning the World Cup with Colombia and hoisting the Copa Libertadores - South America's biggest club cup. Nothing against MLS or the Philadelphia Union - it's just the reality of it all.

Last year, Valdés was playing for San Lorenzo in Argentina and the clock was ticking on his contract. It looked like he would walk away on a free transfer at the end of the season. The Union would get nothing for a player they paid Santa Fe something for. Even if MLS transfer fees are never discussed in public, there was a transfer fee substantial enough that the club had to pay it in installments. Since he has come back to the Union and signed a contract extension (sources say the extensions was only for a year to make up the time missed while playing on loan with Santa Fe and San Lorenzo), the Union will get something in return for him. And since he's fresh off of a World Cup appearance, that something is likely to be substantial.

So why all the fuss?

Valdés gets to go live his dream. He'll continue to work toward the Colombian National Team while playing for Uruguay's premier club - a club that has won the Copa Libertadores three times and produced players like Luis Suárez. And who knows - as strange as this story has been so far, maybe he comes back to the Union some day.