Manchester United could turn their attention towards Juventus’ Douglas Costa if they can’t complete a deal to bring Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund. Sancho is the Red Devils’ #1 target this summer, but the club and Dortmund have yet to come to an agreement on a transfer fee.
The Athletic have reported that the Premier League side could make a move for the 29-year-old Costa, who was an option off the bench for the Italian side under Maurizio Sarri in the 2019-20 season. Costa has been with Juve for three seasons, having initially joined on loan from Bayern Munich, and then becoming a permanent member of the Italian side.
Douglas Costa’s contract with Juve expires two years from now.
Douglas Costa: A good option?
Manchester United’s pursuit of Jadon Sancho has been well documented. The Red Devils are keen on signing the English winger, who could cost around £100 million. A deal has not been struck between the two clubs, and it seems that it may take a while if it does happen eventually.
United have now also looked at other options, with Douglas Costa being one of their choices. Douglas Costa is a winger with flair, speed and dribbling ability, who predominantly plays on the right flank. The Brazilian is a left-footed player who likes to drift inside into central areas, taking on defenders and shooting towards goal.
Douglas Costa, though, hasn’t been consistent, having scored just 10 times and set-up 21 goals in 101 games. Compare that with Jadon Sancho, who has 34 goals and 44 assists in 99 games – a much better return. The Brazilian may also not be a good option considering his age, as he is set to turn 30 in September. Sancho is 10 years younger to him and has far greater potential and talent than Costa.
Considering that, the specs of any possible move will be completely different than that of the Sancho pursuit. And it is also a deterrent given Ole’s preference for young, preferably English talent to build a solid base at the club, upon which another trophy-laden empire could rise.
Manchester United should not pursue a deal for Costa as his output isn’t great, will cost huge wages, and is also in the latter part of his footballing career. The Red Devils should instead put trust in Mason Greenwood, and try to sign Sancho again next summer if at all they fail to land the former Manchester City man this time around. They could also bring in a Premier League talent, like Jack Grealish, who could give them more variety in attack, something we have discussed in various other articles.
