According to The Sun, Manchester United have set their sights on Douglas Costa after being rejected by Paulo Dybala. They are demanding the Brazilian star to be included in Juventus’ deal to sign Romelu Lukaku. The United forward has become a prime target for the Bianconeri, and the Red Devils are prepared to utilise that to sign Costa this summer.
Costa’s recent struggles at Juventus
Costa initially arrived in Turin in the summer of 2017 in a season-long loan deal from Bayern Munich. His move was made permanent last summer for a fee of €40 million. The Brazilian ace enjoyed a stellar spell for the Bavarians, scoring 14 goals and providing 27 assists in 77 matches.
He impressed in his debut campaign in the Serie A as well, notably registering 13 assists in the league during the 2017/18 campaign. His phenomenal chance creation helped the Old Lady retain their dominance in Italian football. But, Costa’s importance in the Juventus first-team took a significant dip following the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo last summer.
But, mainly, it was the injuries that halted his progress at the Allianz Stadium. The 28-year-old could muster only 618 minutes of league football last season, during which he was involved in only three goals.
What can he bring to the table?
Costa is one of the most dynamic attackers playing in Europe. A right-winger by trade, the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk star can manipulate the opposing defender with his trickery on the flanks. But, what makes him such a capable attacker is his sheer pace and energy. Indeed, the 28-year-old can quickly get away from his marker with a sudden burst of speed. He can also utilise the intelligent drop of the shoulders to deceive defenders and breach the defence.
Also, the Brazilian international loves to whip in crosses into the box. The winger certainly needs to work on his crossing accuracy, however.
Is Douglas Costa a good option for Manchester United?
Costa will be a useful, cost-effective option in Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer’s bid to revamp his attacking unit this summer. The Brazilian’s pace and energy will make the United attack much more potent, especially on the counter. His tendency to get to the byline and provide crosses into the box tunes in well with the nature of English football as well.
With Costa featuring on the right-wing and Sanchez playing on the opposite flank, Manchester United could become one of the fiercest attacking teams in the league, provided both the players replicate their old form this season.
