Cologne have confirmed that Portuguese midfielder Maniche has left the club after just one season.
Portuguese midfielder expected to join Sporting Lisbon
Cologne have confirmed that Portuguese midfielder Maniche has left the Bundesliga club after just one season.
The 32-year-old, who missed out on a place in Portugal's World Cup squad, has been released from his contract which was due to run for another 12 months.
Cologne's director of sport Michael Meier revealed that Maniche had failed to settle in Germany and requested a return to his homeland.
Meier said: "Maniche wanted to go back to Portugal with his family and we accepted his demand."
Maniche, who made 30 appearances in the Bundesliga last season and scored two goals, is now expected to join Sporting Lisbon.
