Yesterday saw top Portuguese football paper O Jogo mention Chelsea (along with Arsenal and Man City) mentioned as teams seriously interested in signing Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa this summer.
Costa has established himself as one of Europe’s best, and after the Euros with Portugal this summer he’s expected to make a move to one of the top sides on the continent.
Chelsea are desperately trying to stay in the mix, knowing that new manager Enzo Maresca is keen to sign up a keeper who is able to play really well with his feet as well as being solid between the sticks. Costa offers all of that, and has been superb for Porto since forcing his way into the team a couple of years ago as a true youngster.
He’s a dream signing for Chelsea, the question is whether they can make that dream a reality, especially with Champions League teams like Man City and Arsenal in the race.
The positives and negatives of a top stopper
There is no question that, among ball playing goalkeepers not already at top, top clubs, Costa is number one.
But the problem with that is that everyone knows it. This isn’t a wonderkid we’ve scouted in the Brazilian second tier, this is Porto and Portugal’s first choice, who has had the best teams in Europe watching him since he was a kid.
We can sign him, but it’s going to cost an incredible amount, and as it stands we can’t see Chelsea pushing that hard. The tragedy is that the €40m or so we spent on the three goalkeepers signed over the last two years would pay for the majority of the €50-70m it would cost to sign the 24 year old, who is only now starting to enter his prime.
He’s as close as you’ll come to a sure thing – but as always, that comes with a big price.
