Should Chelsea FC Pursue Shakhtar Donetsk’s Douglas Costa?
Just to refresh your memories, Douglas Costa, also known simply as Douglas, is a Brazilian attacking midfielder currently playing with Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. Costa batted his eyelashes at Chelsea FC during the January transfer window and repeated his desire to join his countrymen at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks.
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The 24 year old Douglas has been at Shakhtar Donetsk for five years since his move in January 2010 from Brazilian club Gremio for €6 million. The work permit rules in Ukraine are not quite as strict as the FA’s which explains why it is so much easier for players like Douglas or Willian to make their way there before coming to England.
In his five years with Shakhtar, Costa has put together quite an impressive resume. He has helped them win the Ukrainian Premier League every year that he has been in Donetsk and the Ukrainian Cup in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In his 3 full seasons with the club, he has averaged around 40 appearances and has tallied exactly 7 goals in each season. Not exactly a killer return but not bad considering his position out on the wings.
Douglas Costa on wanting to join Chelsea FC:
"“I’d be really interested in moving to Chelsea – not only because everything Willian tells me about the club, but because I think that I’d be able to achieve everything I want having someone like Jose Mourinho by my side.”“Since I left Brazil, I have worked with a marvellous coach [Mircea Lucescu] and got an idea of how much influence such a good professional can have in your football. Now I think it’s time to try a new philosophy and I’m sure that Mourinho’s is the best around He’s always fighting for trophies.”"
Costa has only made two appearances for the Brazil senior national team but he has done well with the U21s with four goals in 12 appearances. Chelsea FC seem to be searching for that perfect solution on the wings opposite Eden Hazard and he could be a candidate.
One of the issues for Costa would be his price tag. Chelsea FC are in the era of responsible spending and spending another £30 million on a Brazilian playing in Eastern Europe does not seem very likely. Roman Abramovich has a friendly relationship with Shakhtar owner Rinat Akhmetov but that has not helped the Blues in the past.
That friendship was supposedly the key to Chelsea FC acquiring Willian for under £16 million but the deal never materialized. Instead Chelsea FC had to pay Anzhi Makhachkala double that amount for his services in August 2013.
The Blues also just spent nearly £30 million on Fiorentina’s Juan Cuadrado and he has yet to be given much of a chance to impress. Mohamed Salah is also currently scoring goals for fun in Serie A so he could be a candidate for the position Douglas Costa would fill. Depth of course is key to a team’s success but his fee would be far too much to spend on a depth signing.
With Chelsea FC in the midst of a slump, every player’s position and standing at the club seems to be up in the air. Thankfully the club does not operate with the same hair trigger that the fans wish it did so they will make the right moves when they need to. Douglas Costa is a talented player and he could make a positive impact for Chelsea but unless his fee drops dramatically then there is no reason for the Blues to pursue him.
The Sun’s Mike McGrath reports that the clubs have agreed to a £18m fee for Costa but you can never really trust the papers in England. We will have to wait and see if there is any truth to that report come summer time.
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