Did Chelsea miss out, when they chose to sign Juan Cuadrado over this highly-rated star…
Chelsea came close to signing Douglas Costa during the January transfer window, before eventually deciding on Juan Cuadrado as the man to replace Andre Schurrle.
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Chelsea transfer news
The Shakhtar Donetsk star, who is valued at around £20m by the Ukrainians, recently revealed that a switch to Stamford Bridge would have been his ‘dream move’, but that the deal eventually fell-through.
Costa, who was quoted by Goal.com, admitted: “Yes, I had a contact [with Chelsea] and the chance to work with a coach like Jose Mourinho always motivates a player.
“I am very grateful for the kindness he showed with me. He is a very smart coach and who won [titles] wherever he has gone.”
The ambitious 24-year-old is desperate to catch the eye of Brazilian national team manager Dunga, and add to the two caps he has so far. While he feels his chances could have benefited from a move to the Premier League, he still remains hopeful.
He reasoned: “It is clear that the Premier League has a high profile but it is well proven that Dunga observes all competitions. If you are good at your club, you may have a chance in the Selecao.”