José Martínez’s turbulent, trophy-winning Corinthians spell ends | OneFootball

José Martínez has left Corinthians after both parties agreed to terminate his contract on Tuesday. He had been at Parque São Jorge since August 2024.

According to Meu Timao, the club will pay 30% of his salary from February to December 2026, excluding January, and cover surgery on his right ACL. Although his deal ran to December 2027, there will be no obligations next year.

He departs with 70 appearances, two goals, two assists and two trophies in 2025, the Campeonato Paulista and the Copa do Brasil. Corinthians also won the 2026 Supercopa do Brasil, but he did not feature as he was in Venezuela resolving paperwork.

Signed from Philadelphia Union for about US$ two million in August 2024, he arrived as a Venezuela international to bolster midfield. He started three days later in a Copa do Brasil quarter-final first-leg defeat to Juventude, quickly earning Ramón Díaz’s trust with eight starts in his first nine outings. He later lost his place late in the league campaign but remained a regular option.

In early 2025 he regained the shirt before the Paulista climax and helped seal the club’s 31st state crown. After Díaz’s April exit, Dorival Júnior mostly used him from the bench, then he returned as a starter after the mid-season break with nine consecutive starts.

He was fined for missing six days of training in mid October, then sent off twice in three November matches, including after 17 minutes against Cruzeiro for an elbow. Despite the turmoil, he became central to the Copa do Brasil triumph, starting every tie in the knockout campaign.

The relationship deteriorated around the turn of 2026 when he failed to report for pre-season, remaining in Venezuela for more than a month amid passport issues as videos of festive matches circulated. He later said the delay was bureaucratic and that he had stayed in contact. He finally reported on seven February, was diagnosed with a ruptured right ACL, and a mutual exit followed.

Source: Meu Timao