Roland Cutinho
Portuguese club FC Porto fear Manchester United could walk away from a deal to sign goalkeeper Diogo Costa
According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo (page 5), Manchester United are moving away from a deal to sign talented FC Porto shot-stopper Diogo Costa amid tensions arising due to his massive price tag.
United are actively searching for a new goalkeeper, as David de Gea is not willing to accept a substantial reduction in his salary to extend his long-standing tenure with the club.
The Spaniard’s contract is set to expire at the end of June, and there is a possibility that he might leave as a free agent.
While the Red Devils have been linked with a potential move for Inter Milan’s Andre Onana, O Jogo reports that they are also serious contenders for Costa. It was earlier indicated that the 23-year-old might be sold in the near future, indicating United’s strong interest in acquiring him.
However, according to the latest updates, Porto intends to retain their goalkeeper for the upcoming season.
The 23-year-old player agreed to a new contract last year, which included a release clause of €75 million (£64 million). However, no clubs have taken action to activate this clause.
United has been observing Costa closely for a while, but they are currently uncertain and considering other alternatives. United fans would be worried about who will guard the net for United next season. They will hope that the club ropes in a new goalkeeper to strengthen United’s defence.
However, signing a player at such a cost doesn’t help the club, as they are already dealing with limited transfer funds. While United has been monitoring Costa, it seems they are currently prioritising the transfer of Inter Milan shot-stopper Onana. The Cameroonian goalkeeper is cheaper in comparison to Costa and is more suitable for Erik ten Hag’s style of play.
Having played under the Dutch boss at Ajax for five years, the 27-year-old will be no stranger to his game.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently indicated that United had a direct meeting with Onana’s agent, Albert Botines. The Serie A giants are willing to sell their prized asset for a fee of €50 million (£43 million) plus potential additional payments.
This would be a decent coup in the current transfer window, as the club has to pay about €15 million less than Costa’s original value. Also, Onana has been in great form, and a club like United will need to have him command their backline.
If the Red Devils want to compete for major titles, they need to sign a world-class keeper and stop ignoring the lack of competition in their current squad.
Onana’s exceptional ball distribution will help Ten Hag build from the back, an important trait that was missing last season.
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The fans will be waiting for more updates on United’s interest in the player. Both players are pretty good and arguably an upgrade on De Gea. But we won’t want to take any big financial risks on a player. Onana makes sense in that regard, because he has proven himself over a long period of time in two top leagues.
