Manchester United are keeping close tabs on Porto captain Diogo Costa and have identified the goalkeeper as their number-one choice to take over from Andre Onana.
The Red Devils will prioritise signing a goalkeeper – and a high-class centre-forward – in the summer transfer window, with Onana out of chances after another error-strewn season at Old Trafford.
Onana has only returned to Ruben Amorim’s starting XI as a result of Altay Bayindir’s less-than-convincing display in place of the Cameroon international against Newcastle earlier this month.
A host of ‘keepers have been linked with moves to the Theatre of Dreams in recent weeks, including Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kaua Santos, Parma’s Zion Suzuki and Leicester’s Mads Hermansen.
But according to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha, Porto and Portugal number one Costa has emerged as United’s ‘preferred goalkeeper’ to replace Onana between the sticks for next season.
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The report states that United have already carried out extensive research on Costa and scouts were deployed to watch the 25-year-old in action during Porto’s 2-1 win over Famalicao last Friday.
However, United may have to fight off competition from bitter rivals Manchester City if they are to sign Costa, with the reigning Premier League champions on the hunt for Ederson’s long-term successor.
It’s claimed Porto president Andre Villas-Boas is ‘rubbing his hands in glee’ as the club brace themselves for a bidding war between the two Manchester giants, which could inflate the shot-stopper’s price.
Villas-Boas is said to be ‘open’ to letting Costa leave, but the fee would have to be close to the player’s €75million (£64.5m) release clause – and his departure would only be sanctioned once Porto’s Club World Cup campaign is complete.
Costa, who has been capped 34 times by the Portugal national team, is tied into a contract at the Estadio do Dragao until 2027.
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Last summer, Costa earned himself plenty of admirers across the game with his performances at Euro 2024.
After Costa wrote himself into the history books in Portugal’s dramatic last-16 victory over Slovenia, Roberto Martinez described the Porto skipper as ‘the most hidden secret in European football’.
‘I think Portugal’s secret is Diogo Costa,’ the Portugal head coach said after Costa became first goalkeeper in the tournament’s history to save three spot-kicks in a single penalty shootout.
‘Diogo Costa is the most hidden secret in European football and today he showed up.
‘Today I think he reached a completely different level. The one-on-one situation was incredible. Then he had the focus to make three consecutive saves. We have to be very proud of him.’
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