Chelsea Eyeing Diogo Costa as New Number One Goalkeeper
Chelsea are still in the market for a new starting goalkeeper and are exploring a deal for Porto’s Diogo Costa, according to reports in Portugal. The west London club have been looking for a new number one due to concerns over both Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy, with the latter set to move to Saudi Arabia imminently.
Porto’s Hardline Stance
Portuguese newspaper A Bola are reporting that Chelsea have concrete interest in Costa and are looking into ways of securing a deal. Porto are adamant he will not be sold unless his €75million (£64.5m) release clause is paid up in full, with that price tag potentially making him the second-most expensive goalkeeper in history – behind Kepa. Manchester United are big fans of Costa and have scouted him extensively, but Porto’s hardline stance has proved to be a rather significant obstacle.
Chelsea’s Structured Offer
Chelsea are willing to pay the £64.5m fee but are hoping to convince Porto to accept the figure in three instalments of €25m (£21.5m). The first instalment would be paid now, with the next two coming in the subsequent two transfer windows. Chelsea tried a similar approach with Benfica in January, when they agreed a fee bigger than Enzo Fernandez’s release clause and were permitted to pay it in six instalments – the first of which was around £30m. The Blues are very mindful of their Financial Fair Play situation and cannot stump up a massive fee this summer for Costa, though it remains to be seen if Porto will be accommodating of their structured offer.
Costa’s Qualities
Costa is a modern keeper with excellent distribution, having been trained by Porto’s legendary goalkeeping coach Nuno Espirito Santo. He is also known for his shot-stopping ability and has been compared to former Chelsea keeper Petr Cech due to his ability to read the game. He has been a regular starter for Porto since the 2018/19 season and has made over 100 appearances for the club.
Other Options
Chelsea have also been linked with the likes of David Raya – though Brentford are demanding £40m despite the Spaniard only having a year left on his contract – as well as Inter’s Andre Onana. The west Londoners are set to secure plenty of funds over the coming days and weeks, with as many as five players potentially heading to Saudi Arabia – including Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech – while Mateo Kovacic is set to join Manchester City and Arsenal have agreed a £65m deal for Kai Havertz.
Conclusion
It remains to be seen if Chelsea can convince Porto to accept their structured offer for Costa, but they will be hoping that their previous experience with Benfica will help them secure a deal. Costa is an excellent goalkeeper with all the qualities needed to become Chelsea’s new number one, and he could be the perfect addition to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.