Brazil starlet Douglas Costa

[TomRed]

I know where your coming from like i was thinking that myself because he's a good player and has the potential but he just needs to make the right decision's etc but if Douglas Costa did sign maybe he could play him attacking mid but that maybe wreck our formation.

[andersons_left_foot]

I know where your coming from like i was thinking that myself because he's a good player and has the potential but he just needs to make the right decision's etc but if Douglas Costa did sign maybe he could play him attacking mid but that maybe wreck our formation.

perhaps but i really think it will spell the end for nani to be fair im rather confused on that front unless the aguero swap rumors are true. i sodding hope but i doubt it.

[-zuco-]

i think thats a wise deal tbh but what i wanna know is where does that leave nani in this

What does Nani have to do with it? Costa isn't a winger. This shouldn't affect Nani at all.

[TomRed]

Do you reckon Douglas Costa will get the famous number 7 shirt? because i keep thinking if Valencia doesn't get the number 7 shirt then maybe that means were signing Douglas Costa, we'll find out tomorrow because Owen and Valencia are getting presented with there shirts.

[andersons_left_foot]

What does Nani have to do with it? Costa isn't a winger. This shouldn't affect Nani at all.

i thought he was a left winger? if not where does he play attacking mid?

[andersons_left_foot]

Do you reckon Douglas Costa will get the famous number 7 shirt? because i keep thinking if Valencia doesn't get the number 7 shirt then maybe that means were signing Douglas Costa, we'll find out tomorrow because Owen and Valencia are getting presented with there shirts.

im unsure maybe, but i dont think we will know for a while after we sign him incase fergie has someone else in his mind.

[-zuco-]

i thought he was a left winger? if not where does he play attacking mid?

He plays attacking mid and as a striker. His signing shouldn't affect Nani.

[andersons_left_foot]

He plays attacking mid and as a striker. His signing shouldn't affect Nani.

ah right i was under the impression he was a left winger, but thats cool ive been screaming out for a attacking mid so a young talent like him would be great, and would also keep our south american players happy well Portuguese speaking ones cause ronaldos gone. and its nice to have some samba flair once in a while.

[TomRed]

Douglas Costa used to play on the left for Gremio youth then he started playing for the first team and then tried him out attacking mid and thought he was good there so kept him there.

[andersons_left_foot]

Douglas Costa used to play on the left for Gremio youth then he started playing for the first team and then tried him out attacking mid and thought he was good there so kept him there.

cheers, thats where i was getting confused then.

[TomRed]

He's a free kick specialist aswell so thats a plus, i think Ferguson will get his full potential out of him and do what he done with Ronaldo but hopefully we'll keep this one.

[andersons_left_foot]

He's a free kick specialist aswell so thats a plus, i think Ferguson will get his full potential out of him and do what he done with Ronaldo but hopefully we'll keep this one.

i very much hope, seems like we may have quite a strong and large squad this year, 3 signings in one window, so far and maybe one on the way and not to forget the youngsters we have got in, and could there be more? its been a while since we made this many signings in one window.

[TomRed]

Most probably since we signed Hargreave's, Nani and Anderson.

[Nigel'sChin]

one thing though, would Costa be able to handle it physically? he's rather small in size isnt it? hopefully he would be given the chance to bulk up, while getting his appearances to go with the development. like ronaldo.

[andersons_left_foot]

one thing though, would Costa be able to handle it physically? he's rather small in size isnt it? hopefully he would be given the chance to bulk up, while getting his appearances to go with the development. like ronaldo.

ive no doubt about that really, i dont think if he is being brought he is being brought for a instant impact, but hopefully he has the potential to go half way to making up for the loss of ronaldo, and that would be enough for me.

[Nigel'sChin]

ive no doubt about that really, i dont think if he is being brought he is being brought for a instant impact, but hopefully he has the potential to go half way to making up for the loss of ronaldo, and that would be enough for me.

true. i thought maybe its a replacement for Scholes. with anderson taking on a more box to box role.

and dont forget we have obertan too, another unknown quality.

both have lots of potential, and if both really fufill their potential, and if Costa is at United, it will be really great for the future.

[andersons_left_foot]

true. i thought maybe its a replacement for Scholes. with anderson taking on a more box to box role.

and dont forget we have obertan too, another unknown quality.

both have lots of potential, and if both really fufill their potential, and if Costa is at United, it will be really great for the future.

ive no doubt about that my friend no doubt.

[-zuco-]

Interesting insight from a Brazilian blog.

Are Manchester United being conned over Douglas Costa? Pitaco do gringo’s Brazilian football blog

Weekend reports in the British press have again linked Grêmio’s Douglas Costa with Manchester United.

The Premier League club have apparently been chasing the 18-year-old midfielder for more than a year. Now they may be close to getting their man in a cut-price deal, which could see Costa moving initially for as little as £7 million plus performance-related add-ons.

While it’s normal to see the British tabloids filling their pages with wild speculation, this weekend’s reports came from The Guardian, Independent and The Times.

According to The Guardian, Costa is being championed by Manchester United’s chief scout in Brazil, John Calvert-Toulmin.

The article talks about “the talented 18-year-old who has been hailed as “the new Ronaldinho” in his country” ….. and goes on to say …. “Manchester City are also aware of Costa’s burgeoning reputation …. adding “Grêmio is the club where Ronaldinho made his breakthrough and Costa has obvious similarities in terms of his ability to run with the ball and beat opponents from his favoured role between midfield and attack, as well as being a free-kick specialist.”

The Independent article is essentially a rehash of the Guardian post but makes slightly more grandiose claims in that “Costa is a free-kick specialist resonant of Cristiano Ronaldo and his close control has produced goals which the departed Portuguese would have cherished.”

All well and good. The only problem is that Douglas Costa has failed to perform any of these acts of genius in a league or cup game for Grêmio.

The teenager is currently injured but even when fit he rarely starts a match for the first team. Costa’s fame abroad far exceeds his reputation here in Brazil where he is certainly not regarded as the ‘next Ronaldinho Gaúcho’, he is definitely not famed for his free-kicks and any comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo would leave even the most ardent Grêmio fan in stitches.

The only thing Douglas Costa has done to date is manage to put in a few decent performances for Brazil’s Under 20s.

This is common place in a country that wheels out talented players seemingly on a daily basis. Some do go on to be the real article. Though many next big things such as Corinthians’ Lulinha and now perhaps Neymar at Santos, have struggled to reproduce the form they displayed for Brazil’s junior sides in the more demanding Brazilian league.

Manchester United seem dead keen on getting their man. But just where have they got the idea that Costa is all the things he’s cracked up to be? Grêmio have played 41 games already this season. Costa has made just 15 appearances and has failed to score a single goal. Something does not quite add up. United and their scouts are either the best potential spotters in the business or they are having the wool pulled over their eyes big time.

[versa]

Interesting insight from a Brazilian blog...

And of course, they must first 'doggedly' hold out for an initial asking fee of 20m amidst 'great interest from top clubs' before perhaps 'succumbing' to 7m plus other add-on fees.

Hope nothing reported so far about this genius/clown is true.

[stretty]

Are we raping brazillian football or are the brazillians raping us , it is the latter i think we have not had a quality player yet despite paying lots of money, maybe blatter should step in and stop them from ripping us off