Gossip: United open Costa talks

June 23, 2009

POTENTIAL: Douglas Costa

UNITED have been linked with a move for Brazilian midfield starlet Douglas Costa as they step up their bid to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Reds have opened talks with the 18-year-old's club Gremio, report the Times, and have been tracking him closely for a year.

The attacking midfielder fits the profile of United's new policy of signing youth rather than experience, and he has also attracted the interest of Real Madrid and Inter Milan.

Costa reportedly has a £21m release clause in his contract and his agent Cesar Bottega told the Times: "There have been informal conversations and I believe United would match those values."

What do you think? Have your say.

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david allen (23/06/2009 at 10:00)

Is he as good as Park?

Giggsy's chest rug! (23/06/2009 at 10:28)

looks like a potential superstar, although £21m for a prospect that is unproven in Europe is risky business. Alexis Sanchez may be a better option, as he is currently playing in Europe.

Red Dawn (23/06/2009 at 10:28)

Those quotes from his agent were an incorrect translation from his native language.

What he actually said was, he doesn't believe United will meet Gremio's valuation but an offer of around £7 million may be forthcoming, which won't be enough for Gremio to consider.

He's meant to have a buyout clause of around £20 million, with Gremio supposedly willing to do business at around £18, but that is far too much for an unproven kid, so I'd be very surprised to see a deal happen at that price.

Every year someone from Brazil seems to be the new Ronaldinho. It was Anderson two years ago, then we had Kerlon, now Costa and I'm sure there were a few more with the tag in between.

It's ridiculous really. No two players are the same and such comparisons put too much pressure on a player and increase his price-tag without justification.

Forza United, ex-pat in Vienna (23/06/2009 at 10:32)

looks a bit tasty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcZPye-oSqY

MUFC1878 (23/06/2009 at 10:40)

£16m on Valencia, £30m on a striker who prefers Madrid, and a price above £7m for an unknown, who will probably end up wanting to play for Madrid.

Still, at least we got rid of a player who for some time actually DID want to stay at the club.

I'm available at £47m, and I'm just as good as Ji-Sung Park, with the goalscoring ability of Anderson, but at least I have no desire to play for Madrid.

Excellent.

stuart ripley (23/06/2009 at 10:43)

Have a look on u-tube this kid looks dangerous but as folks have said the price must be right. It will be a tough move for an 18 year old but we have enough brazilians to help him settle. looking at the clips i have seen he seems to have two good feet the willingness to run at his man and he takes free kicks 10-12 million i reckon at that price its worth a go. ( check me out throwing 12 million about like its small change !)

MUFC1878 (23/06/2009 at 10:45)

What about Mammadou or Lassana Diarra and Klass-Jan Huntelaar - two quality players, perhaps costing around £30m in total.

£50m to spend in strengthening the other areas of the team. If it is to be Valencia, then so be it, but certainly not for £16m.

Lord Ruud (23/06/2009 at 10:55)

Red Dawn - the Ronaldinho think comes from the fact he plays for Gremio (Ronaldinho's old club), is Brazilian and likes taking players on - I agree with you though it's just lazy journalism a bit like the new Zidane tag that seems to be placed on the shoulders of any up-and-coming French starlet. Like most people on here I suspect I've only seen compilation footage of Costa which is not the most reliable indicator.

On the transfers I get the impression Fergie is waiting for City and Madrid to finish their kid in a sweet shop style spending, so we can get a clear run on these players without competition. Valencia I believe is pretty much a done deal, and I would expect Fergie to bring in 2-3 players on top of that and if Costa is one such player I imagine a lot of the money will be based on incentives.

edinburgh red, edinburgh (23/06/2009 at 11:01)

Why can we never put up buy out clauses on players in case we want to sell,he is unproven and apart from people seeing him on u-tube no one really knows if he'll be any good, take santos from spurs next big thing at barca done nothing for spurs, but on the other hand would welcome any transfers coming in.

danny, WILMSLOW (23/06/2009 at 11:11)

Does anybody really belive United will spend 80 million or anything like it,the trans fund should be 100 million,just wait for the excuses.

Brian, Brussels (23/06/2009 at 11:18)

MUFC1878, if you're just as good as Park you need to replace the M with a K after your valuation.

Solskjaer20Legend, Epsomville (23/06/2009 at 11:28)

There's so much rumour and conjecture regarding his fee: The telegraph has his buy-out clause at $21mill (£13.5Mill) and others have it at a whopping £21mill I think we'd get him for about £12-13mill with maybe add ons to 15 if he proves to win things with us and picks up individual awards.

Looks to be a player of United quality no doubting that a little on the small side but has the ability to make people look silly,(doesn't harm Messi) who would get bums on and off seats, something that would please us fans and the Glazer family.

Hopefully another cople of top buys after and things will be looking rosy again!!

Red Apache, Didsbury (23/06/2009 at 11:28)

MUFC1878

Exactly what I am saying part of the Ronaldo deal we should of had some players in exchange.

Sniedjer, Van der Vaart, Mammadou or Lassana Diarra, Royston Drenthe, Saviola, Huntelaar (either one from Saviloa or Huntelaar would not moan if on the bench).

Anderson was 17m and we didnt even hear about him here in Manchester until we bought him. Costa could be a good buy plus with all the Brazilans we have he would fit in perfectly.

But im sure Fergie has a plan, its just that get on with it as our rivals are snapping up players and we still havnt dipped it to our pockets yet. Buy one of your targets to calm us down Long summer ahead transfer window opens July 1st!

Davey Boy, Kuwait (23/06/2009 at 11:31)

Seem to recall we paid something in the region of 12mill for an 18 year old 6 seasons ago....and everyone thinking that was too much??

tooth&claw, manchester (23/06/2009 at 12:02)

Stuart Ripley, his part-owners can afford to prepare clips of their players for distribution via viral networking. They can even afford to have matches arranged for the cameras, as happened in one case recently. The fact is that he is a good prospect in Brazil but no more than that. He's made just nine appearances for his club and scored once. That puts him behind the likes of Macheda and Welbeck in the prodigy stakes.

In Brazil no-one can understand why the likes of United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea are interested in kids who haven't even broken through in their own teams yet. They are perplexed by our deal for Dodo, for example, who nobody has heard of or seen play. The don't like the way that English clubs take decent prospect like Lucas Leiva or Denilson, for example, and turn them into poor players. Brazil has for a long time been a source of average players who are hyped up to appear something they are not and then shipped off to all corners of the globe. Unfortunately, in the last few years they've target marketed England as that's where the money was. It's less attractive now but a trend has been started. We have half a dozen Brazilians and we're the most successful club, so others will try to emulate that. What's more we have another batch coming over for inspection in a couple of weeks from Desportivo, a club set up entirely for the purpose of marketing kids to Europe.

tooth&claw, manchester (23/06/2009 at 12:05)

Red Apache, Huntelaar moans even when he's playing. There are no Real Madrid players on the transfer list who would come close to our team. Think about it. Why should we be looking at the players Madrid don't want when we are miles better than Real. It's those players that have made Real such a poor team.

Steve in Brussels (23/06/2009 at 12:27)

i don't expect us to spend 80m this year. clubs are reacting to madrid taxpayer oppression by putting prices at stupid levels. i'm sure fergie would pay 30-35m for ribery but certanly not 50m so no dice. valencia he would probably want to pay 13/14m but given the cash in flow he will accept that he has to pay around 17m. Costa is an unknown quantity but we have been watching him for a year so if they believe he can make it they will try for him as we know we have oher brazilians + Nani to help him settle in quickly. That said he is not likely to play all the time. If he does really well he might play as often as ronaldo and rooney at the same age but no more. I can see us trying anderson in advanced midfield but he really needs to find the net to play there. As for benzema he has the quality and Lyon are giving the sell signals and fergie is a fan, I can see that happening at 30m for a 21 yr old more than Eto'o or Ibrahimovich. We have been linked with Vucinic who fergie has admired for a while as well - and he is 25 so at the limit of the age we will pay a lot for players. veron at 26 and berbatov and yorke at 27 are the exceptions in the last decade. Fergie may well do it IF he identifies that certain player we need and IF they do not demand silly money

Red Dawn (23/06/2009 at 12:37)

I have a feeling a few deals may already be in place but won't be finalised until Ronaldo's move to Madrid is rubber-stamped, so I'm expecting transfer activity by the end of next week.

I think Valencia is almost certainly one deal in place, and I have this feeling today that David Silva may be another along with Moutinho.

If my psychic powers are correct, that would leave us with only a striker to find.

Whatever way Madrid are paying us, be it in full (rumour) or by installments, the word is we will be receiving payment on the 30th of June.

Mike Reed (23/06/2009 at 12:37)

"Does anybody really belive United will spend 80 million or anything like it,the trans fund should be 100 million,just wait for the excuses."

I don't think there is any law that we have to spend the entire budget this summer. Personally I hope we don't as it could unbalance the squad, we should only be looking a maximum of 3 players to be coming into the first team complemented with some other younger signings to develop in the reserves similar to people like Macheda.

Kiyonori Tada (23/06/2009 at 12:40)

20m for him is bit gamble,but he looks much prove player and have potential to become great player,and who know if he follow Ronaldo`s seccese,and become one of the gretest,it`s gamble but fergie did many player and he will never afraid this kind of gamble,his young and has got great left foot and said prefer to play Arsenal or United more than spain or italy,maybe it`s depend on transfer fee between united and gremio,otherwise we are in pole position to sign him.

Gilly, Belgium (23/06/2009 at 13:04)

Not too sure
he is untested !!
WE need defender, midfielder and forward !

Duncan, London (23/06/2009 at 13:41)

I heard it was a 13.5 million pound release clause. I assume it is actually a 20 million dollar release clause. Sort it out MEN.

Kevin Murphy (23/06/2009 at 13:56)

i think fergie maybe will move for him now that he has the money too but will also buy valencia, benzema & a left winger to replace park as douglas plays more through the middle & although he can play on the left its like putting rooney on the right hence hes not as effective there! i think he would be bought to come in to the squad next summer & he & ljajic would replace scholes & giggs in the squad as theyll probably retire next summer & the same with dodo who would replace neville in the squad

MUFC1878 (23/06/2009 at 14:10)

The problem with signing Benzema for the reported £30-£35m is this: who is going to be left out of the attacking line up? Rooney? Berbatov or Benzema.

I really, really hope Rooney isn't deployed on the left hand side again next season, it's a waste of his talents.

Diarra would be perfect for the centre of midfield. 23, tenacious in the tackle and a hard worker. Sneijder or van der Vaart would also represent decent cover on the wings as well.

The likes of Huntelaar, etc would be an ideal signing, I think. He's unsettled in Spain and wants out. He was a goal machine in the Dutch league and yes, it's a weak league, but look at the last forward we signed from a Dutch team - 150 goals, 44 in one season.

I suppose the flip side is Kuyt and Alves were goal machines in Holland too!

MUFC1878 (23/06/2009 at 14:11)

Bastien Schweinstieger and Edin Dzeko are both excellent players in the German league as well.

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