RIO DE JANEIRO, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Atletico Mineiro's Ecuadorian midfielder Juan Cazares has expressed a desire to join his team's Brazilian Serie A rivals Corinthians.

Cazares is contracted to Atletico until December but the 28-year-old said he would be open to negotiations with the Sao Paulo giants.

"Yes, I'd like to play for Corinthians. They are a very strong team - the biggest in Brazil along with Flamengo," Cazares told Ecuador's Canal de Futbol. "How could I not be interested in going to a club like that?"

Corinthians president Andres Sanchez is a known admirer of the playmaker and revealed this week that the club attempted to sign him last year.

Cazares has made 104 Serie A appearances and scored 23 goals since arriving at Atletico Mineiro in 2016 from Argentinian side Banfield.

He has been capped 21 times for Ecuador's national team and was a member of their 2015 and 2016 Copa America campaigns.