Bayern sign Brazil striker Costa from Donetsk
Fleet footed winger to push Ribery for place in playing XI
Bayern Munich completed their first big transfer of the off-season yesterday by signing Brazil international Douglas Costa from Ukraine side Shakhtar Donetsk for a reported €30 million (Dh122.31 million).
The fleet-footed winger or striker has signed a five-year deal with the German champions and will battle for a place on the left wing with Franck Ribery, who is struggling with a persistent ankle injury.
Costa is the fourth most expensive signing in Bayern’s history after Javi Martinez (who cost 40 million euros), Mario Goetze (37 million) and Mario Gomez (35 million).
“Douglas Costa will be a good addition to our squad, he has good technical skills, a strong left foot and is extremely quick,” said Bayern’s director of sport Matthias Sammer.
The 24-year-old, full name Douglas Costa de Souza, is on holiday now until the Bayern team is presented on July 11, although Pep Guardiola oversaw Bayern’s first training session to prepare for the new season yesterday.
Costa made the last of his nine appearances for the Selecao in their Copa America quarter-final defeat to Chile last week when he missed a spot-kick as Brazil suffered a 4-3 defeat in a penalty shootout as it finished 1-1 after extra time.
He is Bayern’s third signing ahead of the new season after Germany Under 21 midfielder Joshua Kimmich from second-division RB Leipzig and goalkeeper Sven Ulreich from VfB Stuttgart.
Bayern have recalled midfielders Julian Green, Pierre-Emile Hoejbjerg and Jan Kirchhoff have all returned after loan spells at other clubs as they bid to become the first German team to win fourth consecutive Bundesliga titles.