Manchester United and Chelsea have reportedly been offered the chance to sign talented Portuguese shot-stopper Diogo Costa, who has a £65 million release clause in his FC Porto contract.
According to 90min, Diogo Costa has been made available for a transfer this summer, with FC Porto offering the Portuguese international to Premier League sides Manchester United and Chelsea, both of whom are on the lookout for a new custodian ahead of the upcoming season.
The reasoning behind this is that Financial Fair Play (FFP) implications are forcing the Primeira Liga giants to raise cash through player sales before June 30. And Porto are now getting desperate and even willing to give a significant discount, as selling Costa would be a sure-fire way to ensure their financial security.
Last season, Costa made 33 league appearances for Porto, conceding just 22 goals and keeping 16 clean sheets in the process. This is one of the best records in Europe. So it is unsurprising to see widespread interest in him. The Portuguese international has caught the attention of several top European clubs. For instance, Manchester United are interested in signing him, along with the Blues.
Erik ten Hag is desperately looking for reinforcements across the park to bridge the gap between Manchester United and the top two. One position that the Red Devils are looking to upgrade in the transfer window is a new number one, with Diogo Costa touted as one of the goalkeeper targets on their list.
The Athletic reported yesterday that there is a standoff in the club’s current No. 1 David de Gea’s contract renewal talks. The Spaniard signed a contract extension on a reduced salary, only for the club to back out of the verbally-agreed proposal, with speculation mounting that he may have played his last game for the club.
With Edouard Mendy departing, it is no secret that Chelsea also have similar problems in the goalkeeping department due to concerns over Kepa Arrizabalaga’s ability to step up as the first-choice custodian. Costa would surely be an upgrade if the Blues signed the Porto goalkeeper.
However, so far, it seems both clubs are eyeing alternatives to Costa, as Porto have historically been adamant he will not be sold unless his £65 million release clause is paid up in full. Talks between Manchester United and Inter Milan are already underway over a summer transfer swoop for Andre Onana, who has previously worked with Ten Hag during their time together at Ajax and could be available for a much more reasonable fee of £41 million plus add-ons.
Chelsea were also vying for Onana. But they shifted their sights to Mike Maignan and Giorgi Mamardashvil. Manchester United also have David Raya of Brentford on their radar if they fail to land Onana. Porto are also aware that both Chelsea and Manchester United have turned their attention to other targets and are unlikely to return to the negotiation table.
Thus, they have opted to take this risky step of showing their cards first. It remains to be seen if either Manchester United or Chelsea reignite their interest in Costa. But it seems likely that any potential deal will occur below the Portuguese goalkeeper’s release clause.
