The Athletic Mineiro, champion in 2021 of the ‘Brasileirao’ and the Copa do Brasil, announced on Tuesday the departure of the scorer Diego Costa, former striker for Atlético de Madrid and Chelsea. The director of the Mineiro football department, Rodrigo Caetano, said that Diego Costa, who is on vacation in Madrid, requested the termination of his contract for not having adapted to the team.
The Brazilian champion agreed to anticipate his departure without charging him the value established in the contract as a termination fine.
The forward born 33 years ago in Lagarto (Sergipe), had been without a contract since December 2020 after leaving Atlético de Madrid. Last August he accepted a proposal from Atlético Mineiro to return to Brazil after playing 16 years abroad.
The contract he signed then committed him to the Belo Horizonte club until the end of 2022, but Costa, who also has Spanish nationality, asked for the termination after only five months.
“At the end of last season Diego sought us out and expressed his desire to leave. The alleged reasons were non-adaptation and other personal issues. We tried to get him to give up the idea and he agreed to continue with us until the end (of the year)”, the leader explained today.
Caetano highlighted the importance of the forward in Atlético Mineiro’s conquests last year, the best season in the club’s history. But he admitted that the player told them that he could request his departure at any time. “He always made it clear to us that, at any time, in case he did not feel well here and wanted to leave, he would be disengaged. And that was what was agreed,” he added.
Caetano admitted that this agreement with Costa provided that neither party would collect a fine in that case. “We have a lot to thank Diego for. He was with us and it was very important. It is very likely that he will not be with us in the new season, but we continue the talks. We still have to reach a common denominator,” he said.
The former player of Sporting Club de Braga, Braga, Penafiel, Celta de Vigo, Albacete, Valladolid and Rayo Vallecano has received a proposal from Corinthians.
With Atlético de Madrid he won the UEFA Super Cup in 2010, 2012 and 2018 and the Spanish League in 2014 and 2021. And with Chelsea he won the Premier League in the 2014-2015 and 2016-2017 seasons.
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