Brazilian Douglas Costa is reported to be a target of renewed
interest for Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United. Photograph:
Juan Barreto/AFP/Getty Images
Manchester United have resurrected
their longstanding interest in Douglas Costa, the 20-year-old
Brazilian who was once hailed as "the new Ronaldinho" and has been
on Sir Alex Ferguson's radar for the past four years.
Costa, a part of the Shakhtar Donetsk side that have
reached the Champions League quarter-finals, was a guest of the
club for the 1-0 defeat of Bolton Wanderers, sitting in the
directors' box alongside several of his representatives and United
officials.
The club would not make any official comment but the Observer
has been told Ferguson still has a serious interest in the player
almost two years after he first tried to sign him from the
Brazilian club Gremio. The proposed deal fell through at the time
and Costa eventually moved to Skakhtar for a cut-price €6m in
January 2010. After a slow start, he has become a key member of
Mircea Lucescu's squad, scoring 15 goals in 61 appearances.
The fee may constitute a problem, though, with Shakhtar
understood to want a sizeable profit if they are to lose the
Under-20 international. Costa's advisers have been led to believe
that may be a minimum £20m.
Ferguson, however, has long rated Costa among the more exciting
young talents to emerge from South America, after coming to his
attention via the club's extensive scouting network in Brazil.
Costa has indicated he would like to move to England, despite
having four years of his contract to run.
Costa helped Brazil to victory in the South American Youth
Championship in 2009, scoring three goals in the process, but
United's interest in the player dates back to when he was 16.
Gremio is the club where Ronaldinho made his breakthrough and Costa
has obvious similarities in terms of his ability to run with the
ball and beat opponents, operating on either flank or in an
advanced midfield position.