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Manchester United will be keen to strengthen their squad in the summer in a number of positions, with a goalkeeper to replace David de Gea a potential option Erik ten Hag may look to explore.
The Spaniard has enjoyed some excellent seasons at Old Trafford but has come under scrutiny for his poor distribution and lack of presence in his own bow.
As discussed by The Peoples Person last week, De Gea’s shot stopping numbers for the season also make for some very poor reading, and with his mammoth contract currently set to expire in the summer, it may be time to move on to another goalkeeper.
David Raya of Brentford has been mentioned recently as a potential target, but if there is one player United would no doubt love to bring in, it’s FC Porto’s Diogo Costa.
The Portugal number one out in a stellar performance yesterday evening in The Dragons match against Inter Milan in the Champions League round of 16 second leg.
Given that Man United scouts are known to be a ‘habitual presence’ at Estadio do Dragao, Costa will no doubt have caught the eye – and not for the first time this season.
Despite dominating the second leg, Porto could not find a breakthrough, meaning their Champions League campaign is over.
But Costa has much to be proud of over the course of the campaign, saving three penalties in the group stages, pulling off some fantastic save, and even grabbing an assist for good measure.
He was an assured presence against Inter as well, making five crucial saves to give Porto a fighting chance of progressing to the quarterfinals.
The No. 99 was positive and proactive in coming off his line, be it to rush out or claim a cross.
But perhaps his most impressive attribute on the night was his ability in possession.
Costa played ten successful long balls forward, often instigating dangerous attacks as Porto fought to strip Inter of their 1-0 lead on aggregate.
With 75 touches, he was among Porto’s most involved players on the ball, calm and composed when pressured and always happy to receive the ball.
For reference, against Real Betis – in a match dominated by Man United, no less – De Gea had just 30 touches and only found a fellow Red Devil once with a long pass.
Diogo Costa possesses a skill set that would make him just about perfect for Erik ten Hag and, at 23 years of age, could secure the goalkeeping position at Old Trafford for a decade.
The real question is, can Manchester United afford a goalkeeper of his ilk, particularly when his club can point to a €75m release clause?
(All statistics taken from SofaScore)
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