Source: Telegraph
Manchester United target Brazilian midfielder Douglas Costa
Dubbed the "new Ronaldinho", United will face tough competition to sign the 18-year-old, who is attracting plenty of attention from other European clubs. [LNB]According to the Sun, Gremio have already turned down an £8 million offer from Spanish side Villarreal, and reports suggest that Liverpool, Inter Milan and Real Madrid are eager to secure Costa's services. [LNB] Related ArticlesPremier League team newsFerguson: Successor must be experiencedGlazers: No cash, no classUnited debt soars to £700mDual rivals rile BenitezMessi has all of Europe running scaredAware of the interest in his client, and suggesting English clubs may carry more hope of signing Costa, his advisor, Chris Nathaniel, said: "The boy is special and loves the Premier League. [LNB]"He has a lot of offers to consider."[LNB]Former United centre-back Jaap Stam has been monitoring Costa on the club's behalf for a number of months now, and talks could start as early as the end of this month. [LNB]Since the surge in interest, Gremio are said to have increased their valuation of Costa to £20m. [LNB]Should a deal be agreed, United may find themselves tightening the purse strings when it comes to splashing the cash this summer after reports claiming their wage bill has risen by 30 per cent. [LNB]Having given improved deals to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, an extra £29 million was spent on salaries. On top of which, £13.3 million was spent on bonuses for the Champions League and Premier League double win. [LNB]Not the biggest spenders in the Premier League, United's bill is £27 million less than Chelsea's. [LNB]
