FC Porto lead the way in Liga Portugal. They’ve won all seven league matches so far this season, the most notable of which was a 3-1 win against Benfica before the international break. Victory over the Lisbon giants saw the defending champions open up a five-point gap at the top of the table.
Gabri Veiga is the star man for the Portuguese powerhouse, the Spaniard having struck four goals and provided three assists. Former Premier League pair Jan Bednarek and Jakub Kiwior have played key roles at the back, protecting Diogo Costa between the sticks with relative ease.
The performances of the trio means Costa has picked the ball out of his net just three times this season. However, it’s another defender who has caught the eye, and in the process; attracted watchful glances from English duo Arsenal and Manchester United.
Costa catching the eye
Alberto Costa only moved to Juventus last January. He joined from Vitoria de Guimaraes, but made just three Serie A starts for the Old Lady. While he featured prominently at last summer’s Club World Cup, making four starts and providing two assists in the process, Juventus were happy to cut ties with the Portuguese defender after just six months in Italy.
The Serie A side made a small profit on a player who went on to shine in his first full season back in his homeland. As Porto landed a first league title in four years in Francesco Farioli’s first season at the Dragao helm, losing just twice in the process, Costa enjoyed a superb debut campaign under the Italian.
Indeed, the 23-year-old registered eight assists in Liga Portugal last season, more than any other defender. Only Trincao and Joao Carvalho (both 11) managed more in the league. That haul came from just 28 chances created. When Costa provides, they’re usually capitalised upon by teammates.
And the same rings true this season… well, to an extent anyway. While Costa is yet to provide an assist in Portugal’s top tier this term, it’s not for want of trying. 13 chances created ranks sixth in the 2026/27 Liga Portugal campaign. Had his teammates sported their shooting boots, then Costa would rank on the assist leaderboard.
It’s this desire to push forward that has attracted top-level interest from England. Both Arsenal and United stand to benefit from the addition of a right-back of Costa’s calibre.
Why Arsenal are linked with Costa
The Gunners have endured their own injury crisis at full-back, with Ben White and Jurrien Timber both sidelined at one point or another in recent months. Cristhian Mosquera, a centre-back by trade who can operate at right-back, hasn’t played since the 1-0 win at Aston Villa last month.
Ezri Konsa is another who can operate at right-back, but the England international is better suited at the heart of the defence.
Costa would offer an attacking outlet down the right flank, but has the defensive nous to tuck inside to help shore up the backline. An ability to play multiple roles in Mikel Arteta’s favoured 4-2-3-1 system is desirable, with the full-backs able to play at centre-back if required.
Standing at 6ft1in, Costa is an intimidating presence off the ball, and having managed modest returns of 2.6 clearances and 1.2 tackles per 90 in Liga Portugal this season; he has the defensive capability to carry out the necessary off-the-ball duties to succeed under Arteta.
Costa would suit Man Utd
It’s part of the reason United are so keen on Costa as they look to replace one Portuguese full-back with another. Diogo Dalot lacks the defensive nous to truly push on for United. The former Porto man so often switches off at the back, presenting opponents with the opportunity to hurt United.
What’s more, Moroccan man Noussair Mazraoui doesn’t have the recovery pace to succeed in the role. The Premier League is one of the most transitional in the world. A team can go from defence to attack in a matter of seconds, and the former Bayern Munich man is often caught out of position, which opens up gaps that can be exploited.
Costa, though, has the speed to cover the ground, meaning that United can play a high defensive line in order to really pressure teams without the fear of being caught out when teams break forward at speed. And with United’s transfer strategy centred on youth, Costa would feasibly hold down the starting role for years to come.
The inverted wingers in Michael Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 system naturally open up space in the final third, which would allow Costa to overlap in the final third and fully utilise his attacking capabilities. Whether it’s a move that comes off or not remains to be seen. However, interest in Costa is hardly a surprise, especially with the Premier League giants both eager to add another attack-minded right-back to the ranks.
