Arsenal Showing ‘Serious’ Interest In Brazilian Attacker

The summer transfer window is now open for business and it’s expected to be a busy few weeks as managers strengthen their squads ahead of next season, so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Gooner Mac brings us the latest on Douglas Costa.

Arsenal are stepping up their interest in unsettled Shakhtar Donetsk attacker Douglas Coast and could allow Joel Campbell to join AC Milan on loan to make room for the Brazilian attacker, according to reports today.

Costa has been tipped to leave Shakhtar this summer as he is one of six players who are refusing to go back to Ukraine for the start of the new season due to the on-going unrest with neighbours Russia.

The 23-year-old announced on his Instagram page last week that he and his five team mates fear for the safety of their families and were staying in Switzerland to train until a resolution can be found.

Shakhtar owner Rinat Akhmetov has insisted he won’t be forced into selling the clubs best players against his will, but reports last week suggested that Arsenal are ready to test his resolve with a €20m offer for Costa.

That bid is yet to be formally put forward to the Ukrainian champions but the Metro are citing reports coming out of Italy that claim the Gunners have a ‘serious’ interest in bringing the Brazilian attacker to the Emirates and are ready to step up their interest this week.

The newspaper states that Arsene Wenger is prepared to loan Joel Campbell to AC Milan if he can get a deal agreed for Costa, and he wants both deals sorted out quickly with the start of the new season less than three weeks away.

Campbell is currently in Austria with the rest of the Arsenal squad on a four-day pre-season training camp and it was thought the Costa Rican would be given his chance to impress the boss before a decision is made over his future.

However, if these reports are accurate, then the 22-year-old could find himself sent over to Italy on a short-term deal to make room for Costa if we can persuade Shakhtar to cash-in on the unsettled attacker.

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Costa is predominantly an attacking midfielder who mostly operates from the right side, but he’s also capable of playing anywhere across the attacking positions and even up front, so he’d certainly provide Wenger with plenty of options in the final third if we do manage to snap him up this summer.