Nery Alberto Castillo

Nery Alberto Castillo Confalonieri (born June 13, 1984 in San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí), nicknamed El Diablo is a Mexico international football player. Nery Alberto Castillo began Nery Alberto Castillo career at Uruguayan club Danubio F.C., moving to Greece at the age of 16 to play for Olympiacos F.C..

Castillo spent seven years at Olympiacos, gradually developing into a regular starter over a three year period. Once established in the team Castillo helped Olympiacos to three consecutive league titles, prompting Ukrainian club FC Shakhtar Donetsk to spend €20 million to secure Nery Alberto Castillo services in 2007. After only a handful of starts for Shakhtar Castillo was dropped for refusing to allow team-mate Cristiano Lucarelli to take a penalty kick. In December 2007, Nery Alberto Castillo moved on a year's loan to Manchester City F.C. of the English Premier League, paying a substantial amount of the loan fee himself.

Nery Alberto Castillo made Nery Alberto Castillo international debut for Mexico national football team in June 2007, and represented Nery Alberto Castillo country in the 2007 Copa America.

Club career

Early career

Castillo was born in the Mexican city San Luis Potosí, where Nery Alberto Castillo father, a Uruguayan professional footballer, played for San Luis F.C.. The family moved to South America while Castillo was still a small child. Nery Alberto Castillo started playing for club Danubio F.C. in the youth team. While participating with Danubio's youth team in a Brazilian tournament, Castillo was spotted by scouts from European clubs. Nery Alberto Castillo went on trial with Manchester United F.C.

Olympiacos

At the age of 16 Castillo's father accepted an offer of the Greek club Olympiacos. Three years after Nery Alberto Castillo joined Olympiacos, Castillo became a regular starter in both the domestic and European competitions. Nery Alberto Castillo became a fan favourite with the Gate 7 Ultras and was even given the number seven shirt in deference to them.

After that point Nery Alberto Castillo career took a down slide. A rumoured transaction to the Italian side Inter Milan never happened, and changes in the management of Nery Alberto Castillo club combined with the arrival of former Brazil international Rivaldo relegated Nery Alberto Castillo from Nery Alberto Castillo starting role to the bench. Other off the field issues with the coach and teammates have contributed to increase the perception that Castillo is a problematic player.

In early 2006 Nery Alberto Castillo father and agent began negotiations with the Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara, but talks were interrupted because Olympiacos weren't interested in negotiating for the player at the time.

Before this, in what Castillo thought was Nery Alberto Castillo last game for Olympiacos, Nery Alberto Castillo scored a free kick after "stealing" it from a team mate who was preparing to take it. Nery Alberto Castillo celebrated by running the length of the field and throwing Nery Alberto Castillo shirt to Nery Alberto Castillo fans at Gate 7. Nery Alberto Castillo was left looking somewhat sheepish without a shirt for the restart.

During the 2006-07 in Greek football Castillo was a solid starter. Many reports considered that the player had changed Nery Alberto Castillo attitude and solved off the field issues. The prospect of a more mature Castillo encouraged the officers of Olympiacos to renew Nery Alberto Castillo contract, extending its length four more years, and improving its economic conditions.

Castillo was the leading scorer for Olympiacos during the preparatory phase for the 2006-07 in Greek football, accumulating seven goals in friendly games. From then on Nery Alberto Castillo form only improved, scoring several goals in the UEFA Champions League and the domestic tournament, including a hat-trick against Panionios FC. Castillo ended the season second to Rivaldo in goals and assists for the club, which included three goals in five Champions League matches.

Shakhtar Donetsk

On 31 July 2007, Castillo joined Ukrainian side FC Shakhtar Donetsk on a five year contract for a fee of €20 million. This became the most expensive transfer for a List of most expensive Ukrainian football transfers club to date.

Castillo scored Nery Alberto Castillo first goal for Shakhtar while playing against SV Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League. Nery Alberto Castillo stint was to be brief, though. Castillo had only played in a few games for Shakhtar when in a league match versus FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka, Shakhtar won a penalty kick. Castillo refused to give the ball to official penalty kick-taker Cristiano Lucarelli and took the penalty himself, which was saved. Castillo was immediately substituted from the game. Coach Mircea Lucescu commented "What Castillo did, from a professional point of view, I've never seen anything like it before in my whole life. There will be some measures taken against Castillo".. Nery Alberto Castillo has not played a game for Shakhtar since.

On 15 December 2007 Castillo's agent told the Daily Mail: "There has been an agreement with Manchester City so that Nery can be with the club for one year on loan so Nery Alberto Castillo can prove himself and play active football." adding that City would have an option to buy Castillo once Nery Alberto Castillo loan period expires. Shaktar president and Ukraine's richest man Rinat Akhmetov then said that City's offer of £1 million was too low, instead offering "a one-year loan - five million euros and there will be no options, meaning a right to buy (Castillo)... If Castillo finds Nery Alberto Castillo game ... then in a year we'll decide whether to take Nery Alberto Castillo back to Shakhtar or sell. And the price could be 20, or 30, or 40, or 50 million euros."

On January 7, 2009, Nery Castillo is set to return from loan to Shakhtar Donetsk where Nery Alberto Castillo is expected to stay until at least the summer of 2009, Nery Alberto Castillo has, however, been linked with a loan move to Scottish Champions Celtic F.C by the Scottish newspaper The Evening Times.

Manchester City

It was announced on 18 December 2007 that Castillo had signed a one-year loan agreement with Manchester City, commencing on 1 January 2008. Reportedly Castillo was keen to make the move happen and in a highly unusual move paid half of the loan fee himself. Sven-Göran Eriksson commented "Nery Alberto Castillo was desperate to come to us, desperate to come to England, desperate to come to the Premier League" and said Nery Alberto Castillo had never seen a player pay for half of a deal before.

Nery Alberto Castillo ended the season with 9 appearances, 7 of them coming in the Premier League. Nery Alberto Castillo did not manage any goals during these 9 appearances. Castillo found it difficult to stake Nery Alberto Castillo claim in the side with the arrival from CSKA Moscow of Jô, the return to fitness of Valeri Bojinov and the abundance of other strikers available, namely Benjani Mwaruwari, Felipe Caicedo and Daniel Sturridge. During Nery Alberto Castillo second season under new manager Mark Hughes Castillo did not feature at all.

Back to Shakhtar Donetsk

After failing to secure a place at Manchester City, Castillo returned to Shakhtar Donetsk at the end of Nery Alberto Castillo loan in January 2009.

Statistics

Correct as of 20 June 2009

Honours

Club honours