On 2 July 2014, Diego Carlos signed for Portuguese club Estoril. He spent one year with their development team before going on loan to FC Porto B.[6] He went on to make 19 appearances with them in the Liga Portugal 2. After his loan move, Diego Carlos featured for Estoril in the Primeira Liga - scoring his first goal for the club on 25 October 2015. in a 2–2 draw against Rio Ave.[7]
In June 2016, it was announced Diego Carlos would join FC Nantes on a five-year contract. The transfer fee paid to Estoril was an estimated €2 million.[8] He made his debut for Nantes on 25 October 2016, in a 2–1 victory over Angers in the Coupe de la Ligue.[9] His first goal for the club came on 12 February 2017, in a 3–2 Ligue 1 victory over Marseille.[10]
On 14 January 2018, during a Ligue 1 match between Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain, referee Tony Chapron appeared to kick Diego Carlos following a collision before sending him off for a second bookable offence.[11] Chapron, who was suspended by the French Football Federation, admitted his mistake and asked for Diego Carlos' second yellow card to be rescinded. As a result, the French football league withdrew the second yellow card.[12]
Sevilla
On 31 May 2019, Spanish club Sevilla FC announced it had reached an agreement with Nantes for the transfer of Diego Carlos.[13] He made his debut in a 2–0 away victory over Espanyol.[14]
Diego Carlos was part of the club's successful 2019–20 UEFA Europa League campaign. In the run-up to the final, he conceded penalties in both of Sevilla's quarter-final and semi-final matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United, respectively and then also gave away a penalty early on in the final itself against Inter Milan on 21 August 2020.[15] He had a hand in the game-winning goal as his overhead kick was turned into the net by Romelu Lukaku.[16]
In the 2021–22 season, Sevilla went on to have one of the strongest defenses in La Liga and across Europe's top leagues, with Diego Carlos' leadership at centre-back being cited as one of the reasons for this.[17] Because of that, Diego Carlos began to attract the interest of several clubs across Europe, with English clubs Newcastle United and West Ham United reportedly attempting to sign him in the January transfer window of 2022.[18][19]
Aston Villa
On 26 May 2022, English club Aston Villa announced they had reached an agreement with Sevilla for Diego Carlos' transfer.[20] The fee was undisclosed by the club but was reported to be £26 million.[21] Ahead of his first season with Aston Villa, he was named by manager Steven Gerrard as one of two vice-captains, alongside Emiliano Martínez.[22] On 6 August, he made his debut for the club in the Premier League in 2–0 away loss against Bournemouth. [23]
On 13 August 2022, Diego Carlos made his Villa Park debut in a 2–1 victory over Everton. In the same game, he ruptured his achilles tendon, which saw him requiring surgery.[24] He did not make his return to the field until 24 March 2023, in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Bristol Rovers.[25]
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