It has been reported that Barcelona are keeping an eye on Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa in case he opts for a long-term move. replacement for Marc-Andre ter Stegen next summer.
Ter Stegen is unlikely to play again this season after suffering a serious knee injury in the recent La Liga win over Villarreal. But while most of the goalkeepers linked to Barça in recent days have been short-term cover options, there is also the proposal to look for a more permanent solution.
The German will be 33 years old when he recovers from the rupture of the patellar tendon, as he has been with the Catalan giants for a decade. Although easily one of the best goalkeepers in the world when fit, the former Borussia Monchengladbach player also missed ten La Liga games last season.
Costa is on the radar if Barcelona want to consider the landscape beyond immediate coverage.
Sports World writes that sporting director Deco, himself a Porto legend, has been following the 25-year-old for some time. Costa, under contract until 2027, is said to be admired within the Barcelona sports hierarchy. However, an approach would have to wait until next summer as his likely valuation rules out anything happening in January due to budget constraints.
There are reports that he was offered Costa Barcelona by agent Jorge Mendes in 2022 for just €12m (£10m). But that number would be significantly higher, not least because he has more experience and a high-level test with Porto, but also after the penalty shootout with Portugal at Euro 2024.
Giorgi Mamardashvili was another goalkeeper of interest before one deal to join Liverpool.
Targeting Costa next summer does not necessarily rule out a short-term option of interim cover until the end of the season. Current depth behind new starter Inaki Pena is thin, with substitutes Ander Astralaga, Aron Yaakobishvili and Diego Kochen yet to play a first-team game between them.
Barcelona have been in contact with the recently retired Wojciech Szczesny, yes confirmed that it’s something he’s actively considering. Claudio Bravo, 41 years old and retired since leaving Real Betis during the summer, has also said I would answer the call if it came.
Keylor Navas, notably of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the past, is currently a free agent, as is former Real Valladolid goalkeeper Jordi Masip. The latter was previously Barcelona’s third choice behind Bravo and Ter Stegen after graduating to the first team in 2014.
