Carlos Cuesta will not play for Vasco again in 2026 after being told he needs surgery to address persistent hip pain. The Colombian defender has been dealing with the issue for more than two months and is currently on loan from Galatasaray until the end of the year.
Whether Cuesta returns to Turkey before the end of his loan is now a decision for the player and Galatasaray. Vasco’s football department was disappointed by the injury, as Cuesta had been an important regular in the team.
His first absence for the hip problem came against Independiente Santa Fe in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals on September 15. The need for surgery was first reported by journalist Lucas Pedrosa and later confirmed by ge.
Vasco had a purchase option set at 5.75 million euros, equivalent to R$34.6 million at the current exchange rate, but will not take it up. Cuesta had been an important part of the team in 2025, partnering Robert Renan during Vasco’s fight to avoid relegation in the Brazilian league and its run to the Copa do Brasil final.
His form declined in 2026, and he had medical problems from the start of the season. Vasco’s options at right centre-back are Saldivia and Gabriel Pereira, while Robert Renan and Lucas Freitas are available on the left.
Sources: Globo Esporte.