The 28-year-old’s whereabouts had been unknown since she was snatched by eight heavily armed people in the town of San Lorenzo in Esmeraldas province of Ecuador on Aug. 18, but a video and photos were released of Erci appearing to be upset but unharmed after the ordeal.
Valencia had been confirmed as a Fenerbahce player earlier on Friday after he ran down his contract with Liga MX club Tigres and released a statement saying he was delighted that his sister Erci had been rescued.
“I don’t have words to express everything that I feel today,” wrote Valencia. “[It’s] one of the happiest days of my life; a day full of emotions and conflicting feelings.”
Valencia signed for West Ham in July 2014, on a five-year contract for a fee estimated at £12 million from Pachuca. In 2016 Valencia signed for Everton on a season-long loan, with the option of a permanent £14.5 million move in the summer of 2017. He returned to West Ham and was sold yo Mexican side Tigres UANL for £5m in the summer of 2017.
Valencia scored 10 goals in 68 appearances during his West Ham career.