The striker who paid half his own transfer fee to play in England
In short: In 2008, Nery Castillo was so desperate to play in the Premier League that he did the unthinkable: he paid for half of his own loan fee. It was a move so unusual that even manager Sven-Göran Eriksson had never witnessed anything like it in professional football.
Born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, to a Uruguayan professional footballer, Castillo’s career was defined by high-stakes transfers and intense personality clashes. After developing in Uruguay's Danubio youth system, he rose to prominence at Olympiacos, where he became a fan favorite and won three consecutive league titles. His success in Greece eventually triggered a record-breaking €20 million move to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2007.
However, his time in Ukraine was marked by controversy. During a league match against FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka, Castillo ignored designated penalty taker Cristiano Lucarelli to take a spot kick himself. The resulting miss led to his immediate substitution and a rare public rebuke from coach Mircea Lucescu, who noted he had never seen such unprofessionalism in his life.
Castillo's journey eventually led him to Manchester City on loan in 2008. His desperation to play in England was so palpable that he personally covered 50% of the loan fee, a fact noted by manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. His stint in England was cut short by a broken shoulder sustained during a home appearance against West Ham United on 16 January 2008. Despite his talent—including a standout 2007 Copa América where he scored four goals—his career was a nomadic trek through Greece, the US, and Mexico.
Beyond the pitch, Castillo's identity was as complex as his playing style. He was eligible for citizenship in four countries: Mexico, Uruguay, Italy, and Greece. While Greece was reportedly willing to pay $800,000 to secure him, he ultimately chose to represent his birthplace, Mexico, making his international debut in 2007 against Iran.
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