According to a recent report by Italian publication Corriere Dello Sport, as has been quoted by Football Italia, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City could be willing to offer Brazilian speedster Douglas Costa a way out of the Allianz Stadium this summer. The report suggests that Pep Guardiola tried to bring the Juventus man to Manchester in the past, but to no avail. Now, the speedster is ready to quit the Turin-based Serie A outfit.
What Is Douglas Costa’s Current Situation At Juventus?
The diminutive Brazilian is one of the most rapid wingers in the European game. Still, it must be conceded that his career over the last couple of seasons has been riddled with injuries and poor decisions. This season too, under the tutelage of Maurizio Sarri, the former Bayern Munich man has struggled to break into the first-team and continues to perform the frustrating duties of a sparingly used substitute.
The 29-year-old has barely featured in the league since the start of the campaign and has made just 14 Serie A appearances all through the season, that too with most of them coming off the bench in the late stages. Yet to open his account for the term, it’s perhaps not overly surprising that the Brazilian has potentially picked this summer as the perfect time to move on from Juventus.
What Is Douglas Costa’s Relationship With Guardiola?
The Brazilian was signed up by Bayern Munich in the summer of 2015 when current Manchester City gaffer Pep Guardiola was in charge at the Allianz Arena. Having spent a couple of years at the club and delivering two Bundesliga titles, Pep Guardiola then went on to make a move to England, while Douglas Costa left for Juventus the next year. The duo has shared league titles together, meaning that there will be an obvious amount of chemistry between the two when it comes to footballing tactics.
What Would Douglas Costa Add To This City Squad?
Similar to the likes of Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané in his playing style, the Brazilian would offer a much more experienced and composed head on the flanks. Adept at getting past defenders with his pace and trickery, Costa could provide stiff competition to the aforementioned City stars.
The speedster is an expert at getting to the by-line and delivering crosses into the box, while he also has a reputation for scoring goals from the tightest of angles.
Why Manchester City Needn’t Spend Money On Douglas Costa This Summer?
For a club aspiring to monopolise the entire league, signing a wide player who is set to enter his thirties would be an absolute disaster of a transfer. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that Douglas Costa is past his prime, as the speedster has failed to live up to expectations throughout the last two seasons. Even with all the experience that he would offer in the final third, it must be conceded that the likes of Sterling and Sane are definitely better wingers than Costa on any day, and that’s why Pep must refrain from unnecessary attacking signings like this in the summer.
