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Douglas Costa’s second spell at Bayern Munich has not been a happy one. Since arriving from Juventus on loan on the last day of the summer transfer window, the Brazilian has been unable to enter the rotation as a backup winger. With his prospects for game time dwindling, AC Milan could offer Costa a second chance.
According to (the admittedly unreliable) Tuttosport, Milan execs are considering the prospect of a loan for Costa this window. Normally, FIFA rules would prohibit a player from registering at three different clubs in a single season (Costa already played a few matches for Juve earlier), but that particular rule is suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. So, Milan could theoretically loan Costa and use him for the rest of the season.
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The major stumbling block, apparently, is the winger’s 6m euro per year wages. While Bayern have probably paid half of that already, it’s unknown whether Milan would be willing to cover the other half for the remaining six months on his deal.
After all, there’s no guarantee that this transfer will work out — Costa has been far off the pace at Bayern this season, and he never really excelled in Serie A. Even the 17-year-old Jamal Musiala sneaked past him in the pecking order this season, and the youngster barely has any experience at the top level.
On the other hand, Milan are mounting a title challenge at the moment, and Costa might be the small bit of depth they need to topple Juventus and Inter Milan. Ante Rebic caught the coronavirus last month, and may need some time to get back up to speed. Getting an extra backup for him on the wings wouldn’t hurt, especially with the congested fixture list this season.
So maybe, it could be worth it. Would Juve loan Costa to a title rival? Maybe they would — they don’t have space for the Brazilian on their squad. At this point, it’s about saving his wages, and showcasing him to potential buyers in the summer.
For Bayern, letting Costa leave wouldn’t be a major loss, as he barely plays anyway. Hansi Flick could just divide the Brazilian’s minutes between Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, and Jamal Musiala instead. So, if we’re talking about whether this move “could happen” — the answer is yes. But it probably won’t, since transfer rumors are almost always made up. See ya on the bench, Douglas.