Argentine midfielder Ponzio to leave Zaragoza

Midfielder Leonardo Ponzio has reached an agreement with Zaragoza to break his contract and return to his native Argentina.

The 31-year-old player said on Wednesday that he was leaving ''to be closer to my family.''

Spanish media reports link Ponzio to a deal with Argentine club River Plate, where he played from 2006-09.

Ponzio played a total of 246 games for Zaragoza in two stints for a combined seven and a half seasons, making him the foreign player with most appearances in club history.

He helped Zaragoza win the Copa del Rey in 2004 and the Spanish Supercup in 2005.

Zaragoza, which is in last place in the Spanish league, recently replaced coach Javier Aguirre with former Sevilla manager Manolo Jimenez.