Chelsea are interested in acquiring the services of FC Porto shot-stopper Diogo Costa amid interest from Manchester United.
According to A Bola, Chelsea are keen on signing a new goalkeeper ahead of next season and have their eyes set on Diogo Costa. The 23-year-old Portuguese international has gone from strength to strength over the past two seasons and is amongst the most sought-after players. But he is also a target for Manchester United, with his release clause standing at €75 million.
Costa has managed to establish himself as the number one in the Portuguese national team of late. And, the 23-year-old has been the mainstay of his club for a few years now. He came through the ranks at FC Porto and managed to get into their first team back in 2019.
Costa has not looked back since getting promoted to the first team. He has produced world-class performances on a consistent basis and is on the radars of Chelsea and Manchester United. The Red Devils are in a spot of bother as David de Gea is yet to extend his contract.
While the talks have been going on forever, there have been no positive outcomes so far. Even if de Gea ends up signing a new contract, Ten Hag is still keen on adding a new goalkeeper into the mix. The Dutch manager wants competition in goal and is looking for a keeper who can play it out from the back. While Costa perfectly fits the bill, his price tag might be a major concern.
The Portuguese international’s contract runs until the summer of 2027. While Porto are open to the idea of letting him, they will only do it for the right price. With four years left on his deal, the Portuguese club are the one in control when it comes to negotiations. And, the player has a release clause of €75 million.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are the other club keen on having him in their ranks. They struggled defensively last season, and their new manager Mauricio Pochettino is not confident about the goalkeepers he has. On top of that, they have recently reached an agreement to sell Edouard Mendy.
With Mendy gone, they are now pushing for a new goalkeeper. However, having already spent a fortune on new players, they cannot afford to pay €75 million upfront for the 23-year-old. But, they have figured a way out. The Blues are ready to pay €25 million upfront and the remaining €50 million in two instalments.
Back in the day, PSG tried to sign Vitinha in a similar type of deal. But, Porto denied instalment-oriented payments and PSG were forced to pay in full. As a result, it will be interesting to see if the Blues can convince the Portuguese club. But with Manchester United also in the equation, Chelsea will have to be decisive in their move.
