After Douglas Costa officially completed his move from Bayern Munich to Juventus, Football Italia looks at what he’ll add to the Scudetto winners.
Words: Joseph Ciraco
Juventus have finally made a splash. After a timid transfer market so far, with many Bianconeri fans showing their frustration, Juventus have made a significant move for the upcoming season. The Italian champions have signed Bayern’s Munich’s Douglas Costa on loan with the obligation to buy next year. The total fee will be around €40m.
After Douglas Costa officially completed his move from Bayern Munich to Juventus, Football Italia looks at what he’ll add to the Scudetto winners.
Words: Joseph Ciraco
Juventus have finally made a splash. After a timid transfer market so far, with many Bianconeri fans showing their frustration, Juventus have made a significant move for the upcoming season. The Italian champions have signed Bayern’s Munich’s Douglas Costa on loan with the obligation to buy next year. The total fee will be around €40m.
Douglas Costa to Juventus had been rumoured for months and the deal has finally come to fruition. With the likes of Renato Sanches and Kingsley Coman emerging at Allianz Arena and Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben still commanding starting minutes, it was hard for the Brazilian to make an impact. With Juventus having released Dani Alves earlier this summer, the deal makes sense for both.
What are Juventus getting from a player like Douglas Costa? They’ll need to replace Dani Alves’ offensive attributes especially in the Champions League. Costa is a very pacy winger, combining speed and agility and can kick it into another gear when he has to.
With Alves arguably the key man in the latter stages of that competition last season, the Old Lady will be looking to Costa to take up the mantle of his compatriot.
Speed is an important part of Max Allegri’s system just as positioning is both going forward and tracking back. Costa is also a great dribbler and excellent crosser.
Juventus had issues with crosses last year before switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation, and even after that change there was room for improvement.
The quality of crosses provided was not sufficient enough with a player like Higuain and Mandzukic lurking in the 6 yard area. That isn’t even considering a cutting cross into a streaking Dybala who has shown great precision with his shots from just inside the box.
Costa is as versatile as he is quick. He can play both wings which gives Max Allegri several options as he plans to carry over his “five-star” 4-2-3-1 formation into this season.
Should rumoured target Federico Bernardeschi also arrive in Turin, Douglas Costa can play on the left flank. With Marko Pjaca unavailable until at least October Juventus, need depth on the wings going forward. Turning 27 in September Douglas Costa is in the prime of his career.
After being enshrined with winning cultures at Shakhtar Donetsk and Bayern, Costa fits perfectly with Juventus’ club philosophy and tradition of winning.
This should therefore be an excellent move for the Bianconeri as they bring in a winger in his prime with both the tactical knowledge and skills needed to compete for a treble once again in 2017-18.