According to Calciomercato, as cited by Leeds Live, Leeds United are interested in the services of Douglas Costa. The Juventus winger is currently on loan at Bayern Munich but is likely to leave not only Munich but also Turin this summer, with Juve keen on offloading him from the wage bill. Leeds United are believed to be among clubs interested in his services, although his hefty wages could be a problem for the Yorkshire outfit.
How Has Costa Fared In His Second Spell At Bayern?
Douglas Costa joined Bayern Munich on loan this summer, almost as a panic buy from the Bavarian outfit, who were keen on adding some depth in their offensive unit. As such, the Brazilian joined as a mere replacement for Ivan Perisic, who had returned to Inter Milan following the end of his loan spell.
Costa had played for Bayern Munich from 2015 – 2017 under the leadership of Pep Guardiola before eventually moving to Juventus. Unfortunately, the Brazilian endured a massive decline in his game in Turin, and it was evident during his second spell in Bavaria, with the winger barely being able to add anything to the table for Hansi Flick and his men this season.
Costa has featured in 20 competitive matches for Bayern so far, netting just one goal while registering just two assists. As a result, he has quite predictably fallen behind the likes of Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sane and even the 17-year-old Jamal Musiala in the pecking order.
Is Costa A Wise Gamble For Leeds United?
Leeds United’s desire to sign new attackers in the summer is hardly surprising as Marcelo Bielsa looks to add further quality to an offensive unit that has taken the Premier League by storm this season. The Argentine is also perhaps wary of the future of Raphinha, who is set to attract the interest of a host of top clubs across Europe because of his performances this season.
In addition, Leeds United have been disappointed by the lack of progress from other attackers including Helder Costa and Tyler Roberts, thus accentuating the need for a new winger who can offer some healthy competition for the likes of Raphinha and Jack Harrison next season.
Douglas Costa, though, might not be a prudent option for multiple reasons, including the steady decline he has endured in his game over the past couple of years. It is also fair to point out that the Brazilian is extremely unproductive and inconsistent, especially in terms of creative output while pace isn’t as synonymous with his game as it used to be.
Perhaps more importantly, Costa’s hefty £160k a week wages makes him nothing short of a gamble and Leeds United simply cannot afford it at the moment – especially for a player who is well past his prime and will not bring any future prospect at the club.
