Chelsea Agree Deal In Principle To Sign €50m-Rated Brazilian Attacker

The January transfer window may be closed but that won’t stop the newspapers from speculating ahead of the summer so we’ll bring you all the news and gossip. Today, Chelsea are linked with Douglas Costa….

Chelsea have got a deal in place with Douglas Costa to sign the Brazilian attacker from Shakhtar Donetsk at the end of the season, according to reports.

Costa has been impressing at Shakhtar since moving to the club from Gremio in 2010 but the 24-year-old has been strongly linked with a  move away from Ukraine in recent transfer windows.

Speculation over the past few months has linked him with a move to Chelsea and now the Metro are reporting that the Blues have got a deal agreed in principal to sign the Brazilian international at the end of the season.

However, the newspaper suggests that the deal has been agreed with the player, not Shakhtar, so Chelsea will still have to come to an agreement with the Ukrainian champions if they want to lure the attacker to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Costa has made no secret of his desire to join Chelsea in the past and he fuelled rumours of a move once again last week when he told reporters that he’s ‘really interested’ in joining the Blues as he feels he’ll be able to fulfill his ambitions playing under Jose Mourinho.

“I’d be really interested in moving to Chelsea because I’d be able to achieve everything I want having someone like Jose Mourinho by my side,”

“There comes a time when you become sick and tired of playing in the same league. I’m 24 and I think that it’s worth trying to convince them to let me go away.

“It’s time to try a new philosophy and I’m sure Mourinho’s is the best around. He’s always fighting for trophies.

“I’ve also got Willian in London – he’s a friend for life. I spent a few days at Fernandinho’s house after Shakhtar played Manchester United in the Champions League [in December 2013] and I really enjoyed it.

“[If I moved to England] I’d have the chance to play in the Premier League, the best league in the world.

“You never know which team will win and that really impresses me – that’s a factor that always keeps athletes motivated.”  Costa is quoted as saying by Sky Sports

However, while newspapers like the Metro suggest Chelsea are trying to snare Costa for a fee in the region of €28m, it seems the player thinks Skakhtar will demand substantially more considering his release clause is set nearer €50m.

When comparing his sale to that of Willian – who was eventually sold to Chelsea in 2013 after lengthy negotiations – Costa said:

“Willian had all that trouble and his release clause was €35m,”

“If you think that mine is even bigger, around €50m, you can imagine that it won’t be any easier.

“I’ve also had talks with other sides like Milan and Monaco throughout this time, but none of them have reached the price asked by Shakhtar.” Costa is quoted as saying by Sky Sports

So it appears Chelsea are going to have to dig deep if they want to bring Costa to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, but the player is clearly desperate to make the move should a fee be agreed between the two clubs so it would be no surprise if the Metro is accurate and he’s already agreed a deal in principal.

READ MORE –> Chelsea transfer news

Costa is predominantly played from the right wing but he’s also capable of playing in a central position or from the left so he’d give Mourinho plenty of options in attack if he does make the move to West London this summer.