Manchester United are leading the race for Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, although he will cost €60m to sign in January.
That’s according to Diario de Noticias, who say Manchester United are ‘at the head’ of the queue for the goalkeeper thanks to his ‘great displays’ this season.
They report that Porto manager Sérgio Conceição could be in for another headache in January or next summer as the goalkeeper has ‘activated the radars’ of the biggest European clubs.
Manchester United are at the front of the queue, with them on the lookout for David de Gea’s long-term replacement.
His performances have been getting better week by week and the newspaper believes there is a firm chance that Costa could become the most expensive transfer of all time for Porto.
He could also become the most expensive goalkeeper export, with that record still held by Ederson following his €40m move to Manchester City.
That is how good he has been of late, earning himself a status as one of the ‘most high-profile goalkeepers’ in Europe by using the Champions League as a ‘huge showcase’.
This week he became the only goalkeeper in the competitions history to save a penalty and provide an assist in the same match and has been earning praise from all corners, with Iker Casillas backing him for a big future.
That translated to the English and Portuguese press, with the latter hailing him today and making reference to the interest from Manchester United.
They have been ‘watching him for some time’ and increasingly see him as the successor to De Gea, who is out of contract in the summer.
They’ll need to spend €60m to sign him, which is the value of his release clause, and a price that Porto will absolutely hold out for.
That’s a bargain price according to former Portugal midfielder Maniche, who believes a big move is very much in the offing.
“Diogo Costa is not only at this moment one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, but also in the whole world,” he told the newspaper.
“I honestly think that the value of the clause is short for his quality. Look at the example of Kepa, who was sold for €80m, or Alisson and Courtois.
“Currently Diogo Costa is not behind them. Probably, to the dismay of the fans, he won’t be at FC Porto for long. He has every chance of becoming the most expensive goalkeeper in the world. He is already at the level of the best.
“As well as the quality between the posts, he’s very good at getting out and playing with his feet.
“This is a characteristic of modern goalkeepers that the great coaches appreciate. He has great vision, and, despite his age, he already has great charisma, a great presence between the posts.”
