Corinthians and José Martínez agree contract termination | OneFootball

By Tiago Salazar

Corinthians has terminated the contract with midfielder José Martínez. The parties reached an agreement for the early termination of the Venezuelan's contract, signed this Monday by president Osmar Stabile and the player.

The agreement arranged between the parties stipulates that Corinthians will cover the surgery for José Martínez, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, according to the report.

Additionally, the club will still pay 30% of the salary from February to December 2026 that the player would have been entitled to. Martínez had a contract with Timão until the end of 2027.

(Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians)

The decision to terminate with José Martínez had already been made in recent days. Corinthians' football director, Marcelo Paz announced the departure of the midfielder in a brief statement last Thursday, after the victory over Red Bull Bragantino, in the Brazilian Championship.

According to the executive, Timão could have unilaterally terminated the contract for just cause, but decided to propose an amicable agreement considering the athlete's side.

Understand the case

Martínez's delay in reporting to the CT Dr. Joaquim Grava caused discomfort among the Corinthians' management and technical staff. The club even decided not to pay the midfielder's salary for the month of January.

The player traveled to Venezuela to reissue his passport during the holidays. However, during this period, there was a military attack by the United States that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, which caused delays in the functioning of public services in the country.

Because of this, Martínez only submitted the request for the new passport on January 13. Corinthians understands the bureaucratic issues but believes the athlete could have expedited the process last year.

See also:  All the news from Gazeta Esportiva Gazeta Esportiva's YouTube Channel Follow Gazeta Esportiva on Instagram

The player finally returned to Brazil last Friday but presented a problem: he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The Venezuelan's last game for Corinthians was the final of the Copa do Brasil, against Vasco, on December 21, 2025. Six days later, already on vacation, he participated in a festive match in Venezuela.

During his absence, the midfielder missed training sessions and ten matches for Timão. He kept in touch with executive Marcelo Paz but ignored a message from Dorival Júnior. The coach did not hide his displeasure in press conferences.

Signed in 2024, José Martínez leaves Corinthians with two goals and two assists in 70 games, in addition to two titles won: the Paulista Championship and the Copa do Brasil, both in 2025.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.