While his career almost began with Manchester United until a work permit was denied, Nery Castillo’s career has seen him take the path less travelled.

Castillo started his professional career at the age of 16 with  Olympiacos in Greece, scoring 30 times in over 100 appearances. But around this time, things started to get a bit interesting.

During a time when he and his agent father (a former professional from Uruguay who played for San Luis in Mexico) thought a deal would be worked out with Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara, Castillo, thinking it was his last game, stepped up and took a free kick that his teammate was lining up and supposed to take.  Castillo hit it up and over the wall and into the back of the net, sprinting the length of the field and throwing his shirt to the supporters.

All thoughts of his attitude problems were sorted in 2006 - 2007 when he moved to Russian club Shakhtar Donetsk, but Castillo pulled the same thing that got him in trouble in Greece only a few games in.  A penalty was called during a match against FC Naftovyk and instead of letting the designated player before the match take the PK, Castillo refused to let him have the ball and his ensuing Pk was saved.  The coach immediately substituted him off.

Oh, and just a little nugget of information, Shakhtar’s owner Rinat Akhmetov is Ukraine’s richest man.

Castillo was able to get away from Shakhtar in a 12 month loan move to Manchester City, but with things not budging during negotiations during the winter transfer window 0f 2008, Castillo offered to pay half of the loan fee himself just to get out and have the opportunity to play in the Premiership.

With only 9 total appearances since January, the dismissal of “It” and the arrival of Jo, Benjani and the healthy return of Bojinov, reports are starting to surface of a possible move once again, this time from Manchester City to La Liga side Real Betis.

With a possible 2 Million Euro loan deal with an option to buy at the end of a year, Betis are now waiting from Shakhtar to see what their response will be as it’s understood that Manchester City are willing to release Castillo from the loan with compensation.

image via CNN