Portuguese giants Porto are concerned Manchester United may be moving away from a deal for goalkeeper Diogo Costa, and instead targeting Andre Onana.
That’s according to O Jogo, who say Manchester United have ‘established contacts’ for the Inter Milan goalkeeper after being put off by Porto’s €75m asking price for Costa.
The Portuguese goalkeeper has been a target for United for the best part of a year as they look to secure a long-term replacement for David De Gea.
Porto, though, are refusing to let Costa, who they consider as a ‘jewel’, leave for less than €75m and this has seemingly forced Manchester United to look elsewhere.
The goalkeeper has already referred to the rumours linking him to Manchester United as something “from the internet” and the growing concern at Porto is that it may never be anything more than that.
That’s because United don’t want to pay their asking price and have instead held the ‘first contacts’ with the agents representing Onana on Thursday.
That’s seen in Portugal as a sign that the doors to Old Trafford ‘may be closing’ for Costa, who has been linked with other big clubs in Europe but none as strongly as Manchester United.
Super-agent Jorge Mendes is currently on the case and has been working to find suitors, but most have ‘turned their noses up at the price’ being demanded by Porto.
That’s bad news for the Portuguese giants as while they would be sorry to lose such a key player, selling him would be the simplest way for them to make profit and balance the books as he is a homegrown talent and there are no other payments to go to other clubs in a sale.
It seems they are concerned they’ve scared off Manchester United with their demands and in the process talked themselves out of the major sale they need.
