Arsenal will reportedly turn their attention towards signing Douglas Costa after refusing to meet Porto’s valuation of Juan Quintero, according to reports in the Express.
The 23 year old is looking for the exit door at the Donbass Arena after growing concerned over his safety in the Ukraine due to violence between the nation’s government and pro-Russian separatists.
The report suggests Arsene Wenger will now shift his attention to securing a season-long loan move for Costa. The decision comes after the Frenchman learned that a deal for Colombian World Cup star Quintero could cost as much as £32 million and would have also entailed finding a resolution to his tricky third party ownership.
It further states that the youngster is prepared to listen to any offers from prospective buyers, most notably Arsenal and Tottenham. He has four years remaining on his contract, which means Shakhtar will probably only allow him to leave the club on their terms.
The 23 year old has garnered a lot of reputation for being a promising attacking player and has enjoyed much success in Ukraine. He has won 5 Ukrainian Premier League winners’ medals, whilst also having won 3 Ukrainian Cups and 3 Ukrainian Super Cups with Shakhtar. He was the league’s joint top assist maker last season and also has plenty of Champions League experience.
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Style of Play:
He is an attacking midfielder who likes to play on the left of the three-pronged attack but he’s also capable of filling in on the right or through the middle. He loves to get into dangerous positions and isn’t afraid to shoot, proven by his six shots on target from six Champions League matches last season. He is also a sublime dribbler and his only clear weakness is probably his defensive work rate off the ball.
Should we buy?
His signing would overlook Wenger’s imminent need for a defensive midfielder as he doesn’t offer much of a physical contribution and might over inflate the side’s attacking options in midfield. He would certainly add creativity from the bench and a harrying presence on the ball, but Wenger needs to address other areas of his squad primarily a defensive midfielder before gaining another attacking presence. Carvalho anyone?
Rumour Rater: 3/5
1 – Never going to happen
2 – Unlikely
3 – Could be possible
4 – Likely
5 – Done deal
What are your thoughts Gooners? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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