Diego Palacios joins Universidad Católica on loan until 2026 | OneFootball

Universidad Católica of Ecuador said in a statement that it has signed Corinthians left-back Diego Palacios on loan until the end of 2026.

The move is projected to save Corinthians about R$ 2.6 million in wages.

Palacios joined in 2024 after an impressive spell with Los Angeles FC and arrived as first choice for the position. He competed with Matheus Bidu and new signing Hugo Farias following the retirement of Fábio Santos.

Early in his spell he suffered a run of injuries, including issues with his left knee and muscular problems, which even prompted internal questions about the medical department. Over two years at Parque São Jorge he played only four matches.

In August 2025, by then fourth in the pecking order behind Matheus Bidu, Fabrizio Angileri and Hugo Farias, he was loaned to Karpaty in Ukraine. He featured twice in roughly six months and stopped making matchday squads from October.

Palacios’s exit leaves Corinthians with four players out on loan. Léo Mana is at Criciúma until 31 July, Ryan is at Fortaleza until December 2026, and Félix Torres is with Internacional until the end of the season.

At Universidad Católica he will compete with Eddy Mejía and Eric Valencia for a starting place. The Ecuadorian club are expected to pay about R$ 236,000 per month, while Corinthians will still cover part of his wages. Palacios remains under contract in São Paulo until 31 December 2027.

Source: Meu Timao