Fabrizio Romano: Leeds United-linked Douglas Costa set to join Gremio
Leeds United-linked Douglas Costa looks set to join Brazilian club Gremio with Fabrizio Romano reporting the deal is pending just medicals and an announcement.
Italian news outlet CalcioMercato reported in March that Leeds were set to firm up their interest in the 30-year-old Juventus forward, who’s spent the season on loan at Bayern Munich.
However, Sky Sports Italy journalist Romano reported on Twitter in the early hours of Friday that Gremio are on the verge of signing Costa on loan with deals agreed between all concerned parties.
Cross that one off
It was always odd seeing Costa linked with a move to Leeds.
While he’s one of Europe’s most talented forward players, it was just hard to see the Whites pushing forward with a deal to sign someone who celebrates his 31st birthday later this year.
Costa’s struggled at Bayern Munich this season too, appearing just 20 times in all competitions and only managing to earn two starts in the Bundesliga.
He’d also scored just one goal and supplied two assists in his loan spell in Munich this season.
Since February, the Brazil international has been sidelined with a fractured foot so considering he’s going to be short of fitness and on the wrong side of 30, it never seemed likely that Leeds really wanted him.
The Italian media thought otherwise, linking Marcelo Bielsa with a move for his fellow South American as CalcioMercato reporting Juve wanted £9.5million for him.
For a player with that much experience, having played over 200 times for Shakhtar Donetsk, over 100 times for Juventus and 97 times for Bayern, that sounded like a bargain.
However, there’s no doubting that Costa would have also demanded big wages and a move to Gremio, the club where it all started for him in Brazil, seems the right decision on his part.
In other Leeds United news, a Serie A journalist has shared a massive update on Marcelo Bielsa and Andrea Radrizzani’s stance on Rodrigo De Paul.