Report: Thiago now linked with swap deal for Juventus’s Douglas Costa

Per a new report from Italian outlet Sportemediaset (via Juvedipendenza.net), Juventus is working on an exchange deal to try and get Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich. The report suggests the Serie A champions are ready to use winger Douglas Costa for a swap deal to get Thiago.

Costa’s contract with Juventus runs through 2022, but is currently valuated right around €30m, which is the same fee that Bayern has repeatedly told Liverpool they have to meet if they want to sign Thiago. The Spanish midfielder is, of course, approaching the final year on his contract with Bayern and still has not extended his contract. Reports have suggested that Liverpool and Thiago have already agreed personal terms, but Liverpool still hasn’t met Bayern’s asking price of €30m. Speculation also arose when Thiago was not back from his holiday when the rest of the squad was and it was suggested that’d he’d been given an extra week off, but that proved to be not true and he resumed training last week.

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Andrea Pirlo is a big fan of Thiago and sees him as an ideal, tactical fit in Juventus’s midfield. He’s technically gifted on the ball and could prove to be a well-suited asset for the bianconeri and their possession-based style of play. On the other side of the coin, if Costa was to come back to Bayern, he most likely would not walk right into the starting lineup. Having just signed Leroy Sane from Manchester City this summer and Serge Gnabry having a sensational run of form, Costa would face stiff competition for minutes with the pair of wingers as well as Kingsley Coman.

Of course, Bayern did lose Ivan Perisic as he loan deal expired and he returned to Inter Milan. Hansi Flick and Hasan Salihamidzic have both said they’d be looking for a potential replacement for the departure of Perisic and Philippe Coutinho. Still, getting Costa might not be worth it if there’s no additional fee involved and Bayern loses Thiago. Bayern’s front office also won’t want to let Thiago leave on a free transfer at the end of next season, so every possible offer should be considered, especially if Liverpool isn’t will to budge and pay the full €30m.