Reports: Barcelona's €50 million target set to join Juventus
What’s the story?
Bayern Munich are reportedly set to sell Brazilian winger Douglas Costa this summer. The 26-year-old has been on Barcelona’s eight-man wishlist but Serie A champions Juventus is the potential destination for the player.
Reports in Italy claim that Juventus have jumped the queue by putting forward a €30 million bid for Costa which could eventually go to €35 million, including €7 million per year on wages.
Also read: Reports: Barcelona's 8-man transfer shortlist revealed
Though Costa and Juventus have agreed on personal terms, the problem is that Bayern Munich have indicated that they want no less than €50 million for the former Shakhtar Donetsk man.
In case you didn’t know...
Douglas Costa kicked off his professional career at Brazilian club Gremio. He caught the eye of Ukrainian superpower Shakhtar Donetsk who signed him in January 2010 for around €6 million. He won the Ukrainian league for five consecutive seasons and the Ukrainian Cup thrice as the club dominated the domestic competitions.
Bayern Munich came calling for Costa in 2015 and brought him to Bavaria for €30 million. He became a fan favourite with his dribbling and Brazilian flair and gained the fans’ adulation when he scored the winning penalty kick to win the 2015/16 DFB-Pokal against Borussia Dortmund.
But this season was one to forget for the 26-year-old as injuries overshadowed his performances. He made just 23 appearances in the Bundesliga, scoring four goals and providing three assists as he failed to impress boss Carlo Ancelotti.
The heart of the matter
Barcelona and Liverpool, who have been chasing the player for some time now, have been dealt a blow as Costa has been thinking a lot of move to Italy lately.
The Brazilian’s agent, according to Sky Sports Italia, was seen at the Juventus headquarters with the general director Giuseppe Marotta. He told the Bianconeri officials about his intention of coming to Turin.
With Costa not being a further option for both the clubs, Barcelona will be looking towards Borussia Dortmund ace Ousmane Dembele, whereas Liverpool will be desperate to seal the deal with AS Roma’s Mohamed Salah.
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Author’s take
Douglas Costa is a very talented player and success will follow him wherever he goes. His move to the Italian giants could be the best deal the club does this summer.
Both Bayern and Juventus have exchanged personnel over the past transfer windows and will surely come to an agreement for the player. With players like Kingsley Coman waiting for their chance, Bayern can afford to lose Costa to the Bianconeri.