Atletico Mineiro announce the departure of Diego Costa

Rio de Janeiro, January 13 (EFE). – Atletico Mineiro, the 2021 Brazilian League and Copa del Rey champions, announced on Tuesday the departure of striker Diego Costa, the former striker of Atletico Madrid and Chelsea.

Mineiro’s director of football, Rodrigo Caetano, said that Diego Costa, who is on vacation in Madrid, asked to terminate his contract for not adapting to the team.

The Brazilian champion agreed to anticipate his departure without being charged the value specified in the contract as a termination fine.

The striker, born 33 years ago in Lagarto (Sergibi), has been without a contract since December 2020 after leaving Atlético Madrid. Last August, he accepted a proposal from Atletico Mineiro to return to Brazil after playing 16 years abroad.

The contract he signed then committed him to Belo Horizonte until the end of 2022, but Costa, who also holds Spanish citizenship, asked for a termination after just five months.

“At the end of last season, Diego came after us and expressed his desire to leave. The alleged reasons were lack of adaptation and other personal issues. We tried to convince him to give up the idea and he agreed to stay with us until the end. (of the year) ”, the leader explained today.

Caetano highlighted the importance of the striker in Atlético Mineiro’s victories 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 added, “He always made it clear to us that at any time, if he wasn’t feeling well here and wanted to leave, he would be disengaged. That’s what was agreed.”

Caetano acknowledged that this agreement with Costa stipulates that neither party will pay a fine in this case.

“We have a lot to thank Diego. He was with us and that was very important. It is very likely that he will not be with us in the new season, but we are continuing the conversations. We still have to find a common denominator,” he said.

Sporting Club de Braga, Braga, Penafel, Celta de Vigo, Albacete, Valladolid and Rayo Vallecano have received an offer from Corinthians.

With Atletico Madrid, he won the European Super Cup in 2010, 2012 and 2018, and the Spanish League in 2014 and 2021. With Chelsea, he won the Premier League in the 2014-2015 and 2016-2017 seasons. EFE

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